A large number of Alexander lighthouses rising from the sea –

Once part of the huge gate of the Alexandria Lighthouse, one of the seven ancient wonders in the world, has risen from the Mediterranean seabed. 22 of the 22 largest stones, including the doorway, threshold, basic plate and a tower rod, were raised from the water in the Ptolemaic era.

This great lighthouse was built on Pharos Island in the 3rd century BC. For hundreds of years, it was the highest artificial structure in the world. It was 1600 years old until the earthquake in 1303 suffered such great damage that it was abandoned and the last stone on the ground was restored by Sultan al-Ashraf Sayf al-Ashraf says al-Ashraf says al-Ashraf says al-Ashraf says al-Ashraf says al-Ashraf says al-din qa’it bay to build a fortress on the island.

The underwater ruins of the lighthouse were rediscovered in 1968, but were not explored until 1994. French archaeologist Jean-Yves Empereur led diving exposures to photography and document more than 3,300 pieces of the lighthouse, including sphinxes, obelisks, columns, arch bases and massive granite blocks weighing up to 60 tons.

Since then, 36 blocks, pillars and statues have been lifted, and another 100 digitally scans underwater scans have been scanned. Now, a new French plan, called the Pharos, has begun to lift more massive structural stones weighing 80 tons.

The purpose of this excellent and spectacular operation is to study and scan these architectural elements, adding them to over 100 blocks that have been digitized underwater over the past decade. After photogrammetry is processed, the scanning block will be handed over to volunteer engineers using La Fondation Dassault Systèmes. Like a huge archaeological puzzle, each block will be actually analyzed and repositioned. Using scientific simulations and virtual worlds, the team of engineers will test assumptions about the structure and collapse of the lighthouse, creating this lost miracle of digital twins. The virtual model will revive the original grandeur of the beacon, allowing visitors to explore it as if they were on site. […]

Funded by La Fondation Dassault Systèmes and led by Isabelle Hairy (CNRS – UMR 8167, Orient & Méditerranée), the PHAROS project brings together historians, numismatists, archaeologists, and architects to collect ancient descriptions and descriptions of the lighthouse from the late fourth century BCE until its destruction in the early 15th century CE. This study helped fill the gap left by highly fragmented archaeological remains, as the lighthouse stopped operating in 1303 until the construction materials were constructed by Qaitbay Fortress in 1477.

These findings complement the parameters already available for ongoing digital reconstructions, illuminating the unique architecture of the lighthouse – crucially, since there are no major ancient lighthouses that survive today. The Alexandria Lighthouse is the first of its kind and understands its history provides profound clues to how and why it collapses.