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Archaeologists recently announced the discovery of an ancient ring in a submerged harbor linked to Cleopatra — and it sheds light on a long-lost wonder of the ancient world.
The discovery was made in the submerged royal harbor of Alexandria, Egypt, and announced this month by the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology.
The ring — called a “perfect object” by an expert in the field — was found at the site of a royal palace on the submerged island of Antirhodos, part of Alexandria’s ancient royal quarters linked to Cleopatra VII, Mark Antony and Julius Caesar.
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The bronze ring depicts the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, officials said.
The ring is the first known signet ring — a type of ring used to stamp seals — featuring the landmark.
Archaeologists discovered an ancient bronze ring showing the Lighthouse of Alexandria in a submerged royal harbor linked to Cleopatra VII, depicted at right, in Egypt. (Christoph Gerigk©Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation; iStock)
Built in the third century B.C., the lighthouse guided ships for centuries before earthquakes destroyed it over several centuries — with its final collapse occurring around the 14th century.
The age of the ring is unclear, but it “features iconography similar to that found on some 2nd century A.D. coins,” the Oct. 7 release said.
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Pictures released by officials show a small, weathered ring with a rough, gold-colored surface and a faint engraving of the ancient lighthouse.
Franck Goddio, president of the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology and leader of the excavation team, emphasized the significance of where the ring was found.
An ancient bronze ring was discovered in Alexandria’s submerged royal harbor, near a palace linked to Cleopatra VII. A depiction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria is seen on the right. (Christoph Gerigk©Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation; The Print Collector/Getty Images)
“The discovery of the ring-signet is even more important as it has been excavated in the legendary palace of the Island of Antirhodos, that once was a center of power,” Goddio said in a press release.
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The underwater excavation is “really kind of painstaking work,” Alexandra F. Morris, an ancient history lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast, told Fox News Digital.
“Everything has to be found, recorded and lifted by divers.”
“Everything has to be found, recorded and lifted by divers,” she said.
The palace, which Cleopatra may have once used, could have later served as administrative offices, possibly overseeing operations at the Lighthouse of Alexandria, Morris said.
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“This could be a representation of that,” she said, referring to the ring’s possible connection to the lighthouse’s administration.
Archaeologists uncovered the ring in Alexandria’s submerged royal quarters, an ancient area associated with Cleopatra VII — seen at right — plus Mark Antony and Julius Caesar. (Christoph Gerigk©Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation; iStock; DeAgostini/Getty Images)
While she cautioned that the age of the ring remains unknown, as it could date to either the Ptolemaic or Roman period, Morris said the artifact highlights the lighthouse’s importance to the ancient city.
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“This lighthouse has now been shrunk down to sit on someone’s finger and used to sign official paperwork,” she said.
“It’s basically showing that the lighthouse became the symbol of Alexandria, long after it was built.”
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Beyond its historical significance, Morris said the ring could also help make Alexandria’s underwater history more accessible to the public.
The age of a recently discovered bronze ring remains uncertain, although researchers noted similarities between its imagery and that found on second-century A.D. coins. (Christoph Gerigk©Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation)
“I think this ring is really interesting because it provides us potentially with something [through] replicas or models that people can actually hold, as the city is so hard to access because it is underwater,” said Morris, a museum professional.
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“It’s kind of a perfect object for touch-based displays, including for blind and low-vision visitors or people interested in the site.”