One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Lighthouse of Alexandria stood an astonishing 330 feet high, placing it among the world’s tallest buildings for centuries before its gradual destruction in the Middle Ages.
C. Gerigk/F. Goddio/Hilti FoundationArchaeologists in the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria discovered a rare bronze ring engraved with an image of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Excavations taking place in the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria, Egypt have recently recovered pottery and glass artifacts, as well as a rare bronze ring emblazoned with an image of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Egyptian officials said that this was the first time that the lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was found depicted on a ring of this kind.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the third century B.C.E., was lost in the beginning of the 14th century, following a series of earthquakes. But now, with this ring in hand, archaeologists could perhaps gain fresh insights into the story of the ancient world’s most impressive tower.
The Discovery Of An Ancient Ring Depicting The Fabled Lighthouse Of Alexandria
The finds were announced on social media by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the work is being done by the European Institute of Underwater Archaeology and Egypt’s General Department of Underwater Archaeology.
C. Gerigk/F. Goddio/Hilti FoundationThis rare ring was found in the waters near Antirhodos, the now-sunken island that once housed the ancient royal palace of Alexandria.
This current excavation season covers four main points of interest located in the Eastern Harbor, in the Mediterranean just off the northern coast of Egypt. These sites include the Temple of Isis, the palace on the royal island of Antirhodos, a nearby obelisk, and the Timonium, or Palace of Antony.
So far, this season’s finds span from the fourth century B.C.E. to the fourth century C.E. Archaeologists have recovered tableware, vessels, bottles, oil lamps, and pieces of glass vessels, but most noteworthy is surely the ring.
This rare relic came from excavations around Antirhodos, in the grand royal harbor of Alexandria (named for Alexander the Great), known as Portus Magnus.
The image of the lighthouse carved into the ring was meant to be used as a seal that would leave an impression on wax or clay when pressed into it. Such rings were used for administrative and economic tasks, like sealing correspondences, validating official documents, or closing up jars carrying goods like wine or olive oil.
Wikimedia CommonsThe Lighthouse of Alexandria operated for centuries before gradually falling apart throughout the Middle Ages.
Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that this is the first time that archaeologists have discovered a seal ring with a depiction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
El-Liethy added that the seal image resembles other depictions of the lighthouse seen on coins unearthed by archaeologists that date to the second century C.E., which thus may be the era in which the ring was made.
What This Find Could Reveal About The Lighthouse, One Of The Ancient World’s Seven Wonders
The lighthouse once loomed more than 300 feet tall — around the height of a modern 40-story building — above the island of Pharos in order to guide ships to shore and help captains avoid shipwrecks at night.
Wikimedia CommonsThe lighthouse disappeared after a series of earthquakes in the early 14th century, but its ruins were eventually discovered in the 1900s.
Though estimates vary, the lighthouse took at least a decade — and perhaps as many as three — to complete. It wasn’t finished until the reign of Ptolemy II, who ruled from 284 to 246 B.C.E.
The lighthouse certainly added to the rich vitality of Alexandria, which also contained the tomb of Alexander the Great, the Museum of Alexandria (a classical center of learning), the Serapeum temple, and the Library of Alexandria, said to be the ancient world’s greatest repository of knowledge.
However, like so many of Alexandria’s ancient landmarks, the lighthouse was eventually destroyed. During the Middle Ages, especially during one event in 956 C.E., earthquakes caused cracks in the structure, then subsequent earthquakes in 1303 and 1323 brought the tower tumbling down.
In 1994, archaeologist Jean-Yves Empereur, who founded the Center for Alexandrian studies, discovered the actual, physical remains of the lighthouse in the waters off Pharos Island. And, in 2025, archaeologists continued pulling blocks of it out of the harbor.
CEAlex/GEDEON ProgrammesIn 2025, blocks from the famed lighthouse were recovered from the Eastern Harbor.
Now, more research must be done to confirm the presumed purpose of the newly-uncovered ring. Divers are continuing to explore the four sites in the Eastern Harbor, and, once those are finished, they will begin new excavations in Abu Qir Bay.
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