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Miami Herald

22 pieces of ancient Wonder of the World to be resurrected from Egypt harbor

Thirty years after its discovery, pieces of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which stood watch long ago in the harbors of ancient Egypt, are being pulled from the depths of the Mediterranean. Archaeologists are planning to bring 22 of the largest blocks, including portions of the lighthouse's colossal door, in order to scan and digitally reconstruct it, according to a July 1 news release from France's National Center for Scientific Research. Also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, this famous lighthouse is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The team said they plan to extract the uprights and lintels of the door, estimated to weigh about 176,000 pounds, as well as the threshold and base slabs, according to the release. They also plan to pull up a previously unknown pylon with an Egyptian-style door and Greek-style technique, the release said. Once the blocks are scanned, they will be used in virtual models and reconstructions to test all hypotheses about how the lighthouse was built and why it fell, according to archaeologists. The virtual reconstruction will bring the storied structure back to its original splendor and give people a chance to view it as if they were actually there, experts said. The excavation is being conducted by France's National Center for Scientific Research, specifically by its permanent unit in Egypt, the Center for Alexandrian Studies, under the authority of the Ministry of Tourism and Egyptian Antiquities, the release said. Built by Sostratus of Cnidus and finished during the reign of his son Ptolemy II of Egypt in about 280 B.C., the lighthouse is estimated to have stood 350 feet tall, surpassed only by the pyramids of Giza. The lighthouse was one of the last of the ancient Wonders of the World to be destroyed, first reduced to rubble by multiple earthquakes, then turned into a fort in the late 15th century, according to experts. The ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered in 1995 by archaeologist Jean-Yves, according to the release. Google Translate was used to translate the news release from France's National Center for Scientific Research.