Ancient Lighthouse Blocks Raised Alexandria

- The recent operation recovered 22 massive stone blocks, some weighing between 70 and 80 tons, which are believed to be parts of a monumental doorway. These add to a digital archive of more than 100 architectural pieces that have been scanned underwater over the past decade. - The underwater ruins of the lighthouse were first discovered in 1994 by a French archaeological team led by Jean-Yves Empereur. Subsequent mapping efforts have cataloged thousands of fragments scattered across a wide area of the harbor floor. - This initiative, known as the PHAROS project, is a collaboration between French and Egyptian researchers, including the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. - The ultimate goal is not a physical reconstruction, but the creation of a "digital twin"—a highly accurate 3D virtual model of the lighthouse. Engineers use photogrammetric scans of the blocks to test how they fit together and simulate how the structure was built and how it collapsed. - The lighthouse stood for over 1,600 years before being destroyed by a series of earthquakes between 956 and 1303 AD. In 1477, many of its remaining stones were reused to construct the Citadel of Qaitbay on the same site. - Due to conservation concerns, the newly raised blocks are not all being permanently removed from the water. Exposure to air can cause salt crystals to form and crack the stone, so many blocks are scanned and then re-submerged, as the stable seabed often provides better preservation. - The recovered stones show a blend of Greek construction techniques and Egyptian stylistic elements, providing new insight into the fusion of cultures during the Hellenistic period when it was built.