A first ring depicting a lost wonder of the world has been discovered in Cleopatra's sunken palace

French researcher Franck Goddio and his colleagues from the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology have discovered a unique artifact on the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. According to The National, a bronze seal with an engraved image of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was raised from the seabed near the submerged palace on the island of Antirhodos in Alexandria, Egypt.

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities described the find as the first known depiction of the lighthouse engraved on a personal seal. The ring dates to approximately the 2nd century AD, as evidenced by the similarity of the relief to ancient coins. The lighthouse itself was erected around 280 BC under the ruler Ptolemy II on the island of Pharos to safely guide ships into the harbor. The tower stood over 100 meters tall, making it one of the tallest buildings of antiquity. Medieval earthquakes reduced the wonder of the world to ruins, and in the late 15th century, Sultan Qaitbay built a fortress on its site using stones from the fallen structure.

"The discovery of the seal is of enormous significance, as it was found in the legendary palace on the island of Antirhodos, which was once a center of power," noted expedition leader Franck Goddio. According to him, the find indicates that the palace housed administrative offices directly involved in the management of the lighthouse.

The submerged palace complex on Antirhodos was described by the ancient Greek geographer Strabo, who visited Egypt in the first century BC. Researchers are currently continuing to study the eastern harbor of Alexandria, where in addition to the palace, the ruins of the Temple of Isis and the residence of Mark Antony are located. After completing work in this area, the team will move on to excavations in Abu Qir Bay.