The Lighthouse of Alexandria, officially the Pharos of Alexandria, stood for over a millennium as one of the most brilliant achievements among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. A beacon of both navigation and royal power, its memory has captivated historians and adventurers for centuries. Today, thanks to incredible efforts in underwater archaeology, the secrets of this lost titan are finally being unearthed from the Mediterranean seabed.
A Beacon of Power: The Lighthouse in Ancient Alexandria
Built on the eastern tip of the island of Pharos in the third century B.C., the Lighthouse was the brainchild of Ptolemy I (reigned 304–284 B.C.), founder of the Ptolemaic Dynasty in Egypt.
At nearly 350 feet high, the colossal structure served a dual purpose:
Safety: It guided ships safely into the famously perilous port of Ancient Alexandria, which was riddled with reefs and shallows.
Propaganda: To approaching vessels, the monumental lighthouse, completed under Ptolemy II, broadcast the might and prosperity of the Ptolemaic rulers for miles.
For some 1,500 years, the Lighthouse was one of the tallest structures on Earth. Its reign ended tragically, weakened by a series of earthquakes starting in the early 14th century, which eventually toppled its immense stone blocks into the sea.
From Lost Wonder to Modern Discovery: The Underwater Excavation
For centuries, the Lighthouse was a myth. The first remnants were only located in 1960, and major archaeological excavations began in 1994, led by teams like the Center for Alexandrian Studies. What they found shattered old assumptions about its construction.
The Mystery of the Metal Clamps
One of the most surprising findings was the discovery of more than 2,000 metal clamps. These clamps were not repurposed but were used to quickly secure the monument's enormous stone blocks—some weighing up to 60 tons—a much faster method than traditional mortar.
“These clamps help explain how the immense structure was built in only fifteen years…” — Archaeologist Isabelle Hairy
In addition to these structural innovations, archaeologists identified immense stone fragments from the Lighthouse’s main doorway, bringing the monumental scale of the architecture back into sharp focus.
Cutting-Edge Tech Unlocks the Pharos' Secrets
The challenging environment of the underwater site—with poor visibility and an uneven seafloor—required modern technological ingenuity. Archaeologists are now using photogrammetry, an advanced method that converts thousands of 2D photographs into a detailed 3D model.
This method has been transformative:
Speed: Tasks that once took days to sketch by hand can now be virtually reconstructed in minutes.
Scale: The team has processed 143,000 images, digitally recording over 5,000 blocks from the lighthouse and surrounding ancient buildings, covering 70% of the site.
This detailed, three-dimensional view is allowing experts to truly begin to understand the layout and construction of the Pharos, shining a new light on one of the greatest Secrets of the Seven Wonders long after the flame that topped it was extinguished.
Ready to delve deeper into the ancient world? Read the full November/December 2025 issue of Archaeology Magazine for more discoveries from the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World!
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