08 Oct , 13:52
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A unique artifact has been raised from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea — a bronze seal engraved with an image of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The discovery was made by French researcher Franck Goddio together with colleagues from the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology. As reported by The National, the seal ring was recovered from the water near a submerged palace on the island of Antirhodos in Alexandria, Egypt.
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities called the find the first known depiction of the legendary lighthouse ever engraved on a personal seal. The ring is dated to approximately the 2nd century AD, based on the similarity of the relief to ancient coins from that period. The lighthouse itself was erected around 280 BC by the will of the ruler Ptolemy II on the island of Pharos — the grand tower, standing over 100 meters tall, served as a landmark for ships entering the harbor. It was one of the tallest structures of the ancient world. However, devastating medieval earthquakes reduced the wonder of the world to a pile of rubble, and in the late 15th century, Sultan Qaitbay built a fortress in its place, using the remnants of the once-magnificent tower as construction material.
"The discovery of the seal is of enormous significance, as it was found in the legendary palace on the island of Antirhodos, which was once a center of power," emphasized expedition leader Franck Goddio. According to him, the find suggests that the palace housed administrative offices directly involved in the management of the lighthouse.
The submerged palace complex on Antirhodos was mentioned as far back as the ancient Greek geographer Strabo, who visited Egypt in the first century BC. Today, researchers continue to study the eastern harbor of Alexandria, where in addition to the palace, the ruins of the Temple of Isis and the residence of Mark Antony lie hidden beneath the water. After completing work in this area, the team plans to move on to excavations in Abu Qir Bay.
