Recently, 22 long-submerged stone blocks were raised from the seabed off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. They were originally part of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, or Pharos — one of the ancient world’s wonders — and date back to the 4th century BC.
Researchers will study and digitally scan the blocks, which have rested on the seabed for centuries. Those scans, plus data from more than 100 other underwater stones found in recent years, will help build a virtual 3D model of the lighthouse.
The team working on this project includes historians, archaeologists, architects, and engineers. The research is led by French archaeologist and architect Isabelle Eri, as reported by Live Science.
Among the recovered stones are fragments of a massive doorway weighing between 70 and 80 tons, Egyptian-style columns, and ceremonial gates.
What You Need to Know About This Wonder of the World
After conquering Egypt in 332 BC, Alexander the Great founded a new capital in his honor — Alexandria. The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos Lighthouse (named after the small island of Pharos at the entrance to the harbor where it stood), adorned the city around 280 BC. This technological marvel was built under the orders of the ruler Ptolemy II Philadelphus, a native of Macedonia.
The lighthouse stood over 100 meters tall (some sources suggest it was 120 meters or more), making it one of the tallest structures of the ancient world. It featured a multi-tiered design with a square base, an octagonal middle section, and a cylindrical top.
At the top, a large fire burned at night, fueled by wood and oil. Ancient chroniclers wrote that sailors could see the beam from as far as 50 kilometers. Scholars think the brightness came from reflections off large polished surfaces, possibly bronze or copper. Those surfaces haven’t survived, so little is known about them.
For over 1,500 years, the lighthouse helped ships navigate the waters. Starting in 365 AD, it suffered repeated damage from earthquakes. A powerful earthquake in 1326 ultimately destroyed the structure. A fortress was later built on its ruins.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the ancient wonders of the world, a title given to it by ancient Greek writers. Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) praised the structure hundreds of years after its construction.
The “Digital Twin”
The ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were first discovered on the seabed in 1994 by French archaeologist Jean-Yves Empereur. This current study marks the third project aimed at bringing the lighthouse back to the surface.
As of now, there are no plans to reconstruct the lighthouse. Meanwhile, researchers who have studied the blocks and historical records have decided to create a virtual reconstruction, or “digital twin,” of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
The analysis results of the blocks will be handed over to volunteer engineers from the Dassault Systems Foundation. During the reconstruction, they will attempt to accurately position these “pieces of a giant archaeological puzzle,” as stated in their announcement.
