Underwater archaeologists in Egypt have found a bronze signet ring engraved with the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is the first signet ring ever found showing the famous lighthouse, according to Live Science.
Where it was found
The ring was discovered in the remains of a palace on Antirhodos, an island in Alexandria’s ancient harbour that is now underwater. The find was made by a joint team from the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM), led by Franck Goddio, and Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
What a signet ring tells us
A signet ring was a tool as much as jewellery. Pressed into clay or wax, it left a seal that marked documents and goods as official. IEASM says finding one with the lighthouse inside the palace suggests the building handled administrative work connected to the lighthouse.
A tiny detail at the top
The image resembles depictions of the lighthouse on ancient coins. Andrew Chugg, author of a book on the Pharos, told Live Science that the most interesting feature is an asymmetrical shape at its peak, which may show a plume rising from the oil lamp held by the statue that crowned the tower.
Why it matters
The Lighthouse of Alexandria collapsed centuries ago, and we know it mainly from coins, descriptions and later artwork. Every reliable ancient image helps reconstruct what it looked like. A personal object like this ring also shows how the lighthouse worked as a symbol of the city itself.
More discoveries in our Science section.
Source: Live Science, 9 October 2026.
Featured image: The pharos of Alexandria. Coloured engraving, ca. 1804-1811. Wellcome L0047776, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
