In the waters of the Eastern Harbour of Alexandria, archaeologists have raised from the seabed a bronze signet ring engraved with an image of the legendary Pharos lighthouse. This find, made at the site of the ancient royal island of Antirhodos, is the first known seal bearing such a motif and immediately drew the attention of specialists.
The work is being carried out by a joint mission of the European Institute of Underwater Archaeology and Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. The ring was discovered in the area of Portus Magnus, where the palace complexes of the Ptolemies once stood. In style, the image of the lighthouse resembles coins of the second century AD, which allows the artefact to be dated to the Roman period.
According to Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, a seal of this kind bearing an image of the Pharos has never been found before. The lighthouse had previously appeared on coins and in descriptions, but never on a personal object of this sort. This forces a reconsideration of ideas about how the city's symbol was used in everyday life.
The find sheds light on the fate of the palace on Antirhodos. Strabo described it as early as 29–25 BC. Now, however, the signet ring hints that the complex continued to perform administrative functions in the second century AD as well, possibly connected with the management of the lighthouse. A small object links its owner's personal seal to one of the seven wonders of the world.
Along with the ring, pottery and glass ranging from the fourth century BC to the fourth century AD were raised. These finds show the continuity of life in the harbour over the course of centuries. Underwater conditions demand particular care: each artefact is recorded in place before being brought to the surface.
Franck Goddio, the head of the mission, notes that the expedition continues and covers several more sectors of the harbour. After the work in Alexandria is completed, the team will move on to excavations in Abu Qir Bay. Every new detail helps to assemble the mosaic of the city's lost appearance.
The tiny ring is a reminder: even humanity's most grandiose creations live on not only in stone, but also in the everyday gestures of those who used them.
