Archaeologists have recovered a bronze signet ring depicting the Lighthouse of Alexandria from the submerged royal harbor in Alexandria, Egypt. The European Institute for Underwater Archaeology announced the find this month. It was uncovered at the site of a royal palace on the island of Antirhodos, within the city’s ancient royal quarter associated with Cleopatra VII, Mark Antony and Julius Caesar.
Officials described the ring as the first known signet ring to feature the lighthouse. Signet rings were used to stamp seals. Images released with the announcement show a small, weathered object with a gold-colored surface and a faint image of the landmark.
The ring’s date has not been established. The institute’s Oct. 7 announcement said its imagery resembles that on some coins from the second century A.D. Alexandra F. Morris, an ancient history lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast, told Fox News Digital that the ring could come from either the Ptolemaic or Roman period. The discovery therefore does not, by itself, establish a direct connection to Cleopatra or determine when the ring was made.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built in the third century B.C. and guided ships for centuries. A series of earthquakes damaged the structure over time, and it was ultimately destroyed around the 14th century. The lighthouse was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Franck Goddio, president of the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology and leader of the excavation team, said the ring’s location adds to its significance. In the institute’s release, he noted that it was excavated at the palace site on Antirhodos, which he described as a former center of power.
Morris said the palace may have been used by Cleopatra and could later have served as administrative offices, potentially connected to the lighthouse’s operations. She suggested the ring might represent that relationship, while emphasizing that its age remains uncertain. In her view, the image on the ring also points to the lighthouse’s lasting role as a symbol of Alexandria, even after its construction.
The excavation takes careful underwater work, Morris said. Divers must locate, document and raise each object. Because the ancient city’s remains are underwater and difficult to access, she said the ring could offer museums a tangible way to explain the site. Replicas or models could be used in tactile displays, including for blind and low-vision visitors.
The institute’s announcement presents the find as a rare depiction of the lighthouse on a seal ring. Its precise date and purpose remain unresolved, but researchers say the artifact may help visitors engage with Alexandria’s submerged past and the landmark’s place in the city’s history.
