First seal ring depicting lighthouse of Alexandria found during dig at sunken ancient Egyptian port

A bronze seal ring engraved with an image of the Pharos of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was discovered during underwater excavations at the sunken island of Antirhodos in Alexandria's ancient royal harbor. The Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry announced the find, with officials noting it is the first such depiction on a seal ring. Other artifacts including amphorae and oil lamps were also found.

A bronze seal ring engraved with an image of the historic Pharos of Alexandria was discovered during underwater excavations, the Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry announced early this month. The lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was built during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (280–247 BCE) and stood at least 100 meters tall. Earthquakes between 956 CE and 1303 severely damaged it, and its stones were later used to build the Citadel of Qaitbay in 1480. Remains of the lighthouse were found in 1994 by French archaeologists, and in 2025, parts of its threshold and foundation paving stones were resurfaced for Egypt's digital reconstruction effort. The ring was found at the former island of Antirhodos, part of Alexandria's Portus Magnus, the ancient royal eastern harbor, which sank around the 4th century CE following an earthquake near Crete. Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, affirmed it is the first time an image of the ancient lighthouse has been found engraved on a seal ring. The depiction is similar to those seen on coins from the second century CE. Other artifacts found include pottery tableware, amphorae, flasks, oil lamps, and glass vessels dating from the 4th century BCE to the 4th century CE. The excavations are concentrated on four sites in the eastern harbor area, including the Temple of Isis and the palace site. Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy applauded the mission for enriching knowledge of Alexandria's history.