• •  Done Shwab's lang template comments Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 16:32, 9 April 2026 (UTC)
    •  Done Add it for Chinese/Tamil names for A-G stations. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 16:37, 7 April 2026 (UTC)
    •  Done Add it for H-K(L?). LEARN REGEX PER DISCORD CHAT!!!
    •  Done Do it for rest of stations. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 16:32, 9 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Rework alt texts for all images
    •  Done Simplify map alt text per MOS:ALTMAP. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 13:35, 1 April 2026 (UTC)
    •  Done Reowrk construction alt images Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 17:30, 3 April 2026 (UTC)
    •  Done Edit alt text for planning station images Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 16:41, 4 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Figure out Branch line closing date. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 16:41, 4 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Change branch line dates Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 15:39, 5 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Conduct a final check on the article (ugh)
•  Done Review ICE protest songs – In progress.Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 15:45, 6 April 2026 (UTC) Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 17:20, 10 April 2026 (UTC)
•  Done Dakota MRT station DYK... address Finnfrog's comments. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 03:06, 12 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Address yunitoumei's comments. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 11:06, 17 April 2026 (UTC)
    •  Done Check dates in operational MRT station and other tables. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 11:06, 17 April 2026 (UTC)

• Take notes on LOA chapter.  Done Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 15:52, 13 March 2026 (UTC)

• Takes notes on p. 41 done. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 11:31, 15 March 2026 (UTC)
• Finished McKenzie 2007!!! Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 15:37, 18 March 2026 (UTC)

•  Done Take notes. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 17:04, 21 March 2026 (UTC)

• Take notes of intro (just to get the ball rolling!) Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 10:03, 8 March 2026 (UTC)
• Take notes of preface Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 10:03, 8 March 2026 (UTC)
•  Done Take notes of chapter 1. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 13:57, 2 April 2026 (UTC)
  • To be done later in fabvour of Higgins 2023 (far better imo). Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 10:03, 8 March 2026 (UTC)
• Take notes of Chapter 2
  •  Done Take notes of pp. 52-54. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 16:15, 2 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Take notes of pp. 55-65. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 01:00, 3 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Finish chapter 2. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 16:49, 3 April 2026 (UTC)
•  Done Take notes of Chapter 3. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 16:40, 11 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Take notes up to p. 85. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 06:13, 5 April 2026 (UTC)
  •  Done Take notes for rest of chapter. Icepinner (Come to Hakurei Shrine!) 17:32, 9 April 2026 (UTC)

• LOA was reconstructed during its hisotry (like a lt of time)
  • Earliest (280 BCE) might have been a stone tower w/ a grand door and a statue of Zeus at the top along w/ hearths for signal fires.
  • Roman times (150 CE): Two stories, improved lighting system w/ mirrors, a ramp to a tutility etrance, and courtyard had statues.
  • Islamic Pharos (1165 CE): brick octagonal second stage w/ circular domed mosque at the top. Still had fire on the first roof of building. Is much taller than the 280 BCE version, but was sunk 5 metres into the ground (8-9th century) (Figure 8.1, p. 288)
• LOA was only 7 wonders that had any purpose... to guide boats along shallow coasts to alexandria, the greatest trading city in that time. Last 7 wonder to be built, last to be included in the canon list (Octo Mundi Miracula), and possibly most well-known during its time (China and Persia)
• Also financed by private citizen... but became a symbol of Alexandria (founded by alex III) (p. 289)
• Alex established Alexandria when Homer told him in a dream... but Nile was advnateggous, for the following reasons:
  • Close to Nile Delta, near land that protects it from flooding (Mayut lake linked city to Nile)
  • Pharos island sheltered hatbour
  • Harbour was less lielly to silt
  • Eastern current behind Pharos prevented Nile discharge from reaching Alexandria
• But Maritime connections to alexandria difficult (p. 290)
• 331 BCE: Alexandria was founded
  • Ppl aware of Pharos bc of Homer's Odyssey (sailors get water from well and launch boats safely)
  • Archaeolgical evidence for settlement around 1000 BCE (and chemical evidence) bc of sediment having copper and lead (we dunno what happened on the islnad) (pp.291-292)
• Harbour was only formed bc of lack of alternatives
  • Diodorus Siculus's voyage (Pharos is a safe harbour) (p. 292)
• Ptolemy later became in charge of Egypt
  • But if Alexandria port was to be successful, then needs a tower to guide ships from the sea to the harbour). LOA may have been the idea of Ptolemy but probably designed and financed by Sostratus
• Construction probably began in 297 BCE and completed in early reign ot Ptolemy II (i.e close to 283 BCE) (p. 293)
• HEP causeway divded bay into two harbours.... caused silt and sand the pile up, eventually became a land bridge (pp. 294-295)
• [Author describes how canals from upper egypt to Pharos and red sea led to rise of alexandria]
• Alexandria really popped off once romans conquered it in 31 CE... port was built (p.295)
• Impossible to create good image of LOA bc it was rebuilt a lot, but lower part may have been constant over the years
• No images of the earliest Pharos, only an epigram of Posidippus of Pella, written shortly after LOA was finished
  • Epigram suggests that Pharos was a simple twoer with a platform for zeus, had fireplaces for signalling)
• Lower section of Roman and Islam pharos were original tower, probably
  • 12th century manuscript revealed at it was 77 metres tall w/ width of 30 metres at the base to 26 metre at the top
• Egyptions liked geometric forms, so tower resembles gateways of temples
  • I guess LOA is the gateway to Alexandria port)
• Had a huge granite door at the base, which faced the port, but liekly false (actual entrance is proably another face) (p.296)
• We know about Roman LOA from coins and loose documents. Strabo mentioned that LOA was made from White stones... had lotta stories
• Coins of LOA (Fig 8.6) show statues of Tritons on the first floor and a second story the quarter of the first story.
  • Top: columns support Zeus statue... prolly the same as the Ptolemic LOA. Long ramp is present
• Same time: permenant light was added. Trade increased, so there was night sailing (like other ports in roman empire)
• Dunno how light was produced but one guess is that fire at the bottom of LOA was reflected by massive bronze mirrors on top to the sea (p. 299)
  • But most likely: fire beneath Zeus statue is reflecred by nearby mirrors. Ramp would porlly be for transporting fuels to fires (pp. 299-300)
• But: a lot of info on Islamic Pharos bc Alexndira was important stop to Mecca, a lot of obervations recorded.
  • Some say LOA was damaged by earthquakes and restored several times
• Best description is from Al-Balawī who measured LOA (p. 300)
• According to him (pp. 302-303):
  • LOA is square, bout 45 steps wide on each side. Sea is near LOA except south and east sides.
  • Platofrm (probably courtyard) is 12 cubits in height... but side facing sea is larger bc hill is inclined. Height of platform increases, width decreases.
  • Ramp of 100 steps lead to it, tested on a series of curve arches. His friend stretched his arm underneath the ramp, but could not reached the other side. 16 arches, each increasing until doorway is reached... last one is very high (p. 302)
  • First stage of LOA: no stairs, but a ramp that went to cylindircal core of building. Entered corridor of 7 hanf-spans wide overhung w/ stones that formed a ceiling. According to string stone methodology, height of first floor is 31 fathoms (77m or 62 m); parapet is a fathom high. (pp. 302-303)
  • Middle of first stage platform, building goes upwards, but now octagonal. Each face is ten steps ong and 15 spans from the parapet. Wall is about a fathom (some confusion... source: trust me bro). Stage was taller than first stage
  • Staircase of 18 steps, arrived to middle of upper foor. Used string methodoogy, 15 fathoms above the first floor. Centre of second floor had cylinder stage of diameter 40 steps to thrid floor.
  • Climbed 31 steps to the third floor. Height of third stage is 5 fathoms. Platform has a moque w/ four doors and a cupola. LOA had 67 rooms, except for the first bc that led to underground to sea (p. 303)
• More details of lOA are recorded in Islamic accounts. Top of first floor: inscription written in images (maybe hieroglyphics), 50 cm high. Upper floors made from brick and there was a light, maybe from first floor.
• All of al-balawi's account was used to create form of LOA, but also have been used for LOA during Ptolemaic and roman times
  • He's also a bit unclear, but best source we have... but we can also look at LOA remain
• As LOA was on a small island, difficult to get blocks for other projects, tho some were used to build a smol tower and Citadel of Qaitbay. (p. 303)
• Most blocks on harbour floor and fort (definetyl made from walls of LOA... frfr) are made of Coquina, plentiful on the Pharos island. But quarries are proobably burried (island sunk 5m since then) (p. 304)
• Coquina formed by cementation of shelly sand... easily cuttable by stone tools and bronze saws... but also easily eroded, so LOA probably needed frequent repairs (esp for base near sea level) (pp. 304-305)
• Also bunch of other materials on harbour floor and fort like Aswan granite in LOA doorframe, almost 13m high and shown on Roman coins.
  • Lintle is still there, so doorframe must have been at base of structure
• Also many statue fragments from Aswan granite and Gebel Ahmar quartz sandstone. Statues predate LOA, moved from other Egyptian temples to LOA. Column shafts, bases and capitals, sphinxes, and obelisks may have been in LOA courtyard.
• Fifty blocks and statues have been recovered, exhibited around Alexandria
• Development of Alexnadria was bc of Nile river (p. 305)

[Skip] (talks about the Nile and its contributions to history and whatnot)

• [Skip most of it... mostly useless)
• Alexandria is close to the Delta, but local geo is different... has series of low ridges parallel to coast. LOA and Alexandira built on two or three ridges that started to formed seventy thousand ears ago
• Other aprallel ridges to the south that are older and higher, made from coquina and oolitic limestone, source rock of LOA.
  • It's technically sandstone, but it's limestone cuase disamb
• Ridges were dry esp during Nilotic flooding... rock is easy to cut and porus, so can absorb winter rains and be acessed via wells. (p. 316)
• [Rest is uesless]

• LOA was damaged by earthquakes along w/ Tusnami, erosion, and land sinking (p. 320)
• Few earthquakes in egypt, tned to be near the delta (very weak) (pp. 320-321)
• But also some infrequent ones in the Mediterranean Basin from Crete to Syria are more dangerous (p. 321)
• Dawn of 21 July 365: huge earthquake happened in eastern midterranean region, triggered giangtic underwater landslides and a tsunami in Egypt (p. 322)
• Tsuanmi was disastourous, but Pharos is not mentioned... we can cassume it wasn't damaged prolly bc of its design and walls (dunno if part of the original plan)
  • Its walls could have shield pharos from tsuankis despite not being designed to (prolly designed to protect it against sea spray during winter storms) (p. 324)
• LOA was maintained until 956 ce, earthquake destoryed top 22m of building (lasted 30 mins... maybe that's aftershocks). Cairo was ok, so prolly happened near the Delta
• LOA was repaired after earthquake bc al-Balawi described it to be in good condition.
• 18 August 1303: another distant earthquake, produced a large tsunami. Damaged LOA along with other 7 wonders (p.325)
• LOA was still standing in 1326. According to Ibn Battuta (p. 326):
  • Found one of the LOA sides ruined. High square uilding, door is above ground. Opposie door and same height, building w/ ramp
  • Inside door is place for lighthouse keeper and lighthouse ahd many rooms. Lighthouse lied 5km from city, accesible outside of city walls
• LOA was prolly used at the time since there was lighthouse keeper, but damaged and not repaired. Outerwall destroyed, base of pharos was exposed to sea spray. Crstyalisation would have wekeaned the masonry (p. 326)
• Alexandria declined over the past few hundred years bc of fall of Roman Empire, lake port use declined, Great Famine, volcanic cooling, and black death, so trade was vitually non-existent (pp. 326-327)
• Batthta retunred to OA, found it to be in ruins... not possible to enter it/climb it.
• Sultan ordered twoer to be built, never finished (p. 327)
• Blocks of LOA were on seabed, 80m away from base... catostrophic and spectuacular collapse
• Must have happened between 1326 to 1349, but no signifcant earthquakes reported that time, so collapse may have been caused by foundation failure. (p. 328)
• Time of construction: platform was 10m above sea level. Winter storm and other natural stuff would have sinked it 5ms, erodes the sand. Most of it occured in 8-9th cneturies (pp. 328-329)
• 12th centurie: erosion on east side collapsed LOA (p. 329)
• Pharos ruins undistrubted until 1479; Sultan Qaitbay built Qiatbay fort using stones from ruins... but not ancient foundations as they were largely destoryed and partially underwater (p. 329)
• 1939: breakwater uncovered water water remains of Pharos following restoration of fort
• 1990s: another breakwater built cross presumed site of pharos, made ppl mad, so underwater surveys and excavations. Ruins are unusal tourist attractions for visitors and divers as of 2023 (p. 330)

• Possible to explore underwater ruims bc of post-cold warism... Jean-Yves Empereur explored and raised known fragments near lighthouse and found others... include massive pharoh statues (p. x)
• Alexnadria radiated infkeunce w/ LOA (p. 6)
• Earthquake destoryed LOA in 1375 (p. 10)
• LOA and causeway are mentioned in Posidippus Epigram (also put on the building). Strabo gives similar testament
• LOA built on eastern tip of Pharos, either during reign of Potlemy I Sorter or early Potlemy II Philly. Dates include 283/282 BC by Eusebius in 4th century, and 297 BC in Souda
• Sostratus was the architect of the building, inscribed his own name (Pliny) under king's plaque (Lucian).
  • Not known if Sostrus was actual architect or only paid for it. Maybe same guy as envoy for Ptolemy II? (p. 41)
• Possible epigram inscribed on tower commermorates statue of zeus and not the tower
• Lighthouse costed 800 talents according to Pliny, roughly a tenth of Egyptian treasury, according to Pliny
• Lucian says Sostratus is skilled, so implied that he may have been a friend of the king and a cracked engineer.
• For tower to shine in day, it would have neeeded to be white
  • Strabo (26-20 bc) says it was constructed out of white stone
• strabo's description and depcition of LOA w/ multiple floors suggest it may have been repaired by Cleopatra following Siege of Pharos.
• Ton of Arab writers described lighthouse from 9th to 14th century, then destroyed in an earthquake. Qaitbey fort was built on the site between 1477-1479
• Ibn Iyas says that fort was built on Pharos foundation
• Arab soruces say that hard type of stone was used. Red granite used for lintels and door frames.
• Arab description of LOA was consstent even tho repaired multipe times... hieght only varied 15% from 103 to 118m
  • Base was 30 x 30 m square
• Like depiction of LOA on coins and glass gems from first century AD, Arabs say LOA was a tower w/ tree tiers (square, octagonal, and circular) w/ ramp
  • Reflected in Thiersch's reconstruction
• Arab authors say LOA was built using large blocks of stone held by lead clamps... may have had timber string courses to strengthen against earthquakes.
  • Openings/"windows" prevent wind from blowing it over
• Inside LOA: another ascending ramp
• Described bronze statues at the top of LOA and mentioned a mirror (mirror is seen in Qasr Libya mosaic of AD 539)... but known how early the mirror was installed
• Fire was seen in night like a star, day had smoke to direct ships to the harbour
• Fuel may be naptha... provides brighter flame than firewood
• Shapes of diff tier not very clear based on 1st century depictions, Arab depiciton is used on a small stone tower in Taposiris Magna Ptolemaic cemetary dated to second or first BC... it is a surviving relfection of LOA.
• Lowest tier was largely intact when LOA was repaired... it wouldn't be possible to make upper two tier height greater than what they would have been originaly
• Heights to top of second floor by Arab authros are within 14% range. Most variations occur in top tier, little difference to basic design.
• Total ehight of 110m is in line with Josephus's reference in 1st century AD... visible from 300 stadia away.
• Cost and skill of sostratus could mean that original building was very large.., local masons skilled in large projects would have to help him
  • So Arab sources are accpetale for size and depcition of original Ptolemaic Lighthouse
• Anicent depcitions reveal tirtons on corner of two lower levles... but known when before first century AD they were added
• Also statue at the top, but identity is not known. Posdipus epigram is Zeus, glass beaker from Begram is either Ptolemy I or Poseidon. Helios is depicted in the Qas el-Lebia mosaic besides the mirror... but earlier depcitions don't tell us where fire was near the statue (p. 42)
• Recent underwater excavations near LOA revealed five obelisks, 32 sphinxes, 6 payriform coluns dynastic period (which specific one???), Corinithian capital, and attic bases
• of 2655 architectural pieces salvaged, majority are complete or fragemntary red granite smooth column shafts.
  • Many of the styles remains date from dynastic period... came from Heliopolis
• 6 massive red granite statues of Potlemaic rulers as Egyptian pharohs and their queens (p. 43)
• Interesting bc they were near where they were erected beside LOA since pieces were found near their bases...
• Two largest were Ptolemy VIII (moved to Library of alezandirea) and Celopatra III w/ Isis crown
• Working out which block was part of the lighthouse is hard
• Few arhcitectual pieces found near where they fell, like red granite blocks for door grame and white marble block w/ monumental inscription
• Limestone and marble blocks in the area include clamps of iron encased in lead (if they were dumped... they probably would have been robbed) (p. 44)
• Included other arhcitectual pieces in water in the area... some were dumped as joinng pieces in diff lcoations, egpytian and classical statues were found in the area (p. 45)
• Harbours were upgraded with the construction of LOA
• Humogunous pharoh statues greet travellers entering harbour (p. 74)
• Ammianus Marcellinus saying that Celopatra built the LOA is prohably her reparing it (p. 77)
• Lack of architectual remains, so Greco-Roman sources have to be used (p. 149)
• jOsephus and pliny says more ahout lOA
• Joe (75-79) mentions Pharos had walls around it, light from LOA is visible from 300 stadia away, warned sailros to anchor some distance off
  • This was possible given Arab descriptions
• Only way to reach alex was three channels... not clear if seperate entrances or eastern harbour only (strabo says one)
• Pliny says that cotinous buurning at night was dangerous bc could be mistaken as star (p. 184)
• Achilles Tatius recalls that before visting house in Pharos, he climbed LOA and saw some magical hill or smth idfk (p. 190)
• LOA had sprilling staircases (I think) (p. 194)
• LOA was essnetial for trade during Potlemaic times (stating the obovus...) (p. 220)
• LOA flame was kept at night by ppl, they added wood fuel (p. 244)
• LOA depcited in 531 AD mosaic in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Jerash. Also depicted on 539-540 AD msoaic in East Church at Qasr el-Lebia... arched door w/ steps, statue and mirror and top. (pp 251-252)
  • Arched door and steps are also seen in St. Marco Venice 127... no statues and mirror, but includes mosque at the top (p. 252)
• LOA is simplified in Sepphoris hous... floors are not depicted, but includes flame for light (p. 253)

• I guess commerical trade was the motivation for lOA (p. 22)
• LOA was on eastern part of Pharos, guided sailors to the harbour.
  • Accomplished by fire at night and mirror reflecting sunlight at the day (pp. 25–26)
• Achilles Tatius: whole cloud quote (p. 26)
• Athanasius also describes the reefs near LOA (p. 32)
• Coin shows lady god next to LOA w/ Zeus sorter or Poseidon (p. 144)
• Pharos changing role is parallel to Alexandria's transformation (p. 350).
• Arab geogprahers talk about destruction of LOA.
  • LOA became a watchtower against the Byzantum ships
  • Also weird fringe theory that LOA was on the centre of the earth????? (p. 351)

Well nvm...

• LOA had long and turbulent Islamic history... fullfiled its purpose as a lighthouse until second quarter of foruth century
• Pre-Islamic accounts are scarce, but Muslim accounts during medival times are not.
• LOA founder has been atrieubted differently
• LOA also has mythical power and a treasure at its base w/ mirror at its summit... believed to offer view to constantipoloe and can use the sun's rays to burn ships.
  • But no one really cared about actual appearane of lighthouse... so travel literature is valuable
• Only two modern historians focused on LOA, one of them Herrmann Thiersch in 1909.... but new arabic accounts were surfaced after book published.
  • Book contains recreations of LOA, Islamic period documentation based on Max van berchem
• 20 yrs later, migeul asin palacious collected arabic sources relating to LOA and Balawi's description (most detailed written by Arab medival witness)
• Essay focuses on reevualting important arabic LOA texts between Arab conquest and LOA collapse in 14 century. Using wtiness accounts, new conclusions on history and architectual transofrmation of LOA under Muslim rule... reocnsutrction of LOA in 1165 according to balawi (intro).

• Earliest substancial source on LOA... two accounts of different character/origin, repeated by others
• The Meadows of Gold (944): LOA rests on foundation of crab-shaped glass. Peak had copper statues, one was to warn of approaching enemy, another was pointing to the sun and following it as the sun set
  • Another statue was also a clock, had different sounds for different statues
  • Some later authors omitt these statues
• LOA used a mirror as a watching device. Also there were stones captured by Alex from Shaddad at the bottom of LOA in a secure treasury
• In Muruj, LOA lost its upper structure bc of demolition from Al-Walid I... Byzantines tricked him into removing top half bc they convinced him the LOA had treasure
• Height of LOA was 1k dhira before upper half was demolished... Mas udi sais that LOA remained in ts condition until 933-934... suggests that he relied on an old text that did not account for LOA reconstruction by Muslim patrons
• Al-Tanbih Wa'l Ishraf (955-56): resied in Egypt... ts is more realistic based on more reliable sources and contemporary witness accounts... correctly attributes foundation of lighthouse to successor of Alex (Ptolemy)
  • Traditional for Christians to bring food to LOA and have picnic on Maundy Thursday
• LOA was in current form as restored twoer, 230 dhira high, had three strutures...
  • Lowest: rectangular shaft made of rectnagular masnory of 110 dhira, then octagonal of 60 dhira made of brick and stucco, then third circular story.
• Greek inscription on eastern wall. Mas'udi says that lighthouse was originally measured at almost 400 dhira.
• All in all... roughyl 200m, a bit higher than original estimate... so third floor must be 60 dhira/30 m
  • But they deiverge by later accounts
• He qlso said that first shaft initally formed only one quarter of the entire LOA, but a bit unlikely... so original height of lighthouse is most likely exaggerated
• Tanbih namedrops mirror but no statues or Al-Walid's demolition accoun
  • Instead says deotriation came from natrual stuff like earthquakes and Alexandria's severe weather. So Tanbih is myth.. but may have been used to explain why LOA lost its original upper stories
• Tanbih: Mas'udi says that lighthouse was restored a century earlier... Ahmad ibn Tulun built a wooden cupola at he top which probably resembeled umbrella or mushroom.
• Ibn Tulun's son consolidate the western wall of LOA bc part of it collapsed
  • Ts is contrasted later by Ibn Iyas where earthquake damged top of lighthouse... there might be confusion over rulers or there prolly was damages/restorations during Tulunids
• Masudi reports that c. December 955 to January 956 earthquake collapsed 30 dhira of the lighthouse.

• 985: says that LOA rectnualge floor interiro was large enough to allow horsemen to climb into it... numerous chambers inside (later confirmed by authors)
• LOA acccessible via a causeway and western wall was hit by the sea

• Book is on problems with reconstructing the LOA and how it functioned as the lighthouse during the ancient times.... apparently the "second Sun"
• Conceived by Alexander the Great and designed by Sostratus of Cnidus... LOA was very iconic in Alexandria for 16 centuries until eaarhtquake destoryed it
  • Apparently neglected compared to other stuff like Giza pyramid. So this books uses archaeology and antiquity texts/images... fresh evulation of the lighthouse, history, and legacy.
• Achilles Tatius says LOA is "Second sun", aparently the term is dissected in this book towards the nature of the LOA light.
• Pharos was also important for Alexandiran science and astronomy in Antiquity, I guess (p.2)

• LOA located at east end of Pharos Island... western edge of the great harbour in ancient alexandria
  • Sostratus used game-changing tech to build LOA, i guess... reached new heights and satisified height fantasies of the ptolmeies guys
• (Insert poetic purple prose on how the LOA is remmebered via memory)
• LOA prolly neglected cos it was destroyed unlike Giza Pyramid, which survived long time (p. 9)
  • So use analyse the primary texts for new stuff (p. 10)

• (NSFW romantic description of the pharos.... yikes) but we will now analyse the LOA and how it embodies the chad energy of Alexandria, i guess
• Northern coast in the vicinity of Egypt is horrible for navigation... it's flat, has low-lying land that slip below sailor's sight just few kms out the sea. also has hidden reefs, shallow shoals, and swirls and swells (p. 19)
  • So therefore a giant lit up landmark would be beneficial as the sailor's salvations... its lights can easily be recognised, prompting sailors to go to the deeper end, safer!
• Third BCE: good time to do this. Alexander wants to connect egypt with greece... specifcally to connect the new port of Alexandria... lighthouse for the area was needed, finalised, and initiated
• Diodorus Siculus (24 BCE) who resided in Alexandria provides a good description of the provisions for a lighthouse (has personal experience of travelling on ships that navitaged dangerous coastal waters) described it as (p. 20):
  • Voyage around meditterranean is long and landing is difficult... from places like Paraetonium and Coele-Syria, no safe harbour except LOA... sandbank aslo exists along most of Egypt, so can't be seen by anyone unless they experienced it. You can't escape the dnagers cause you'd unexpectedly crash your ship on the coast and end up in a marsh or desert
• Sostratus of Cnidus is architect, according to ancient sources.
  • Some confusion on the Macedonian Sostratus... many sources expect you to know that Sostratus is Cnidus one when they're talking the LOA architect
• Sostratus is also a reniassance man cause he's good at military engineering and diplomacy, also with architecture... but his reuptuation kinda dipped cause 99% of aincent literature is lost. So if more sources available, he would be famous
  • Hopefully the ahead-of-time LOA features would help his name (p. 21)
• Alexander Meeus 2015 provides a solid claim that Sostrus was the architect of the LOA
• Apparently Sostratus was cool... took Memphis without diverting River Nile (according to Hippias in Lucian)
  • But we dunno veracity cos no other historical records back it up (pp. 22–23)
• Sostratus is remembered fondly... I guess. He was a friend of the kings in Alexandria during the later years (he was a diplomat)
  • Was a very good diplomat of the athenians, that's how he became an architect. (p.24)
• According to Pliny the Elder:
  • LOA erection cost was eight hundrd talents
  • Sostratus was allowed by Ptolemy to put his name on the lighthouse
  • Goal of lighthosue should be to warn ships of nearby shaols and to guide them to the harbour
  • in Pliny's time: other lighthouses existed, but they could be mistaken for stars cause of their fires (burnt brightly)
• So therefore Pliny says that Sostratus was the architect and dedicator of LOA
  • Sostratus's "revolutionary" work with arches integrated in promenade may indicate that arches were important for the LOA (seen with LOA's ramp supported on arches by Al-Balawi) (pp. 24-25)
• It is suspected that the LOA was mainly supported by column of arches within in the core....may have been foundation for starting Alexandria and Roman architecture that use arches
• Supporting arches were held by pink granite columns, came from a quarry near Aswan (p. 25)
• Author goes on a tangent about the walkway connecting Pharos to the Alexandrian Harbour (Heptastadion Causeway) was similar to another one in Cnidus, so must be Sostratus's promenade
  • Both are now isthmuses... no traces of Sostratus's promenade
• Interesting how Pliny recorded the cost of the lighthouse, which is more than 23 tonnes of silver
  • Massive considerin that was a tenth of silver in the treasury of Egypt (when Ptolemy became leader)
  • Parthenon costed at least 469 talents of silver
  • Given that it was a tall building in Pharos, price is cheap I guess (p. 26)
• According to Strabo in his Geographica (24 BCE):
  • At Pharos island, there is LOA which is made of white marble of many storeys... same name as the island
  • This was an offering made by Sostratus to the safety of sailors... sign says that there reefs, shallows, and harbourless and low coast, so need a good indication of the harbour (pp. 26-27)
• Arhcitect's name on the LOA drew comments and speculation (p. 27)
• Lucian in How to write history (166CE) gives following account:
  • Sostratus did put his name on the lighthouse brick, but covered it with gypsum and inscribed ptolmey instead (pp. 27-28)
• problem with inscription: implies sostratus was the dedicant and architect of lOA, how could he afford 800 talents????
  • He probably recieved a bunch of talents throughout his careers as gifts and sponsorships
  • Also firends of the king were allowed to dedicte buildings under the Ptolemies (p. 28)
• Lucian also talks about LOA in satire icaromenippus, basically the character goes to the moon and identifiers the earth via Colossus of Rhodes and LOA
  • Also says that Alexander instigated, sostratus was architect and inscribed it (samr as Strabo) (pp. 28-29)
• Alex was to build LOA.... interesting cos actual construction of lighthouse took pace in third century BCE, quarter of a ceuntry after alex's death.
• According to the Suda, LOA was constructed under Ptolemy I in 297 BCE (bc of Pyrrhus of Epirus)
• Chronicon (Eusebius) says 284 BCE when Ptolemy II took chage
  • Unlikely for LOA to be built within a year, therefore makes sense to say construction took place between 297 to 284 BCE (Suda gives start, Eusebius is end)
• But that excludes Alexander proposing LOA... (p. 30)
• Also temping to say Alexandira and its monuments were prototypes for colonilism...
  • But Alexandira is not within Egypt proper... Romans say it's by egypt. That's contrasted by Naucratis, first greek colony in Egypt
  • Alexndria was ptolmy capital by time LOA was finished... multicapital and cosmopolitan, wouldn't make sense to call it outside of egypt
• Alex also says it's not colonisation but for exchange of different races to be harmonised (pp. 31-32)
• Ammianus Marcellinus says that celopatra built LOA, wrote a decade later than Eusebius. Also alleges that she built the Heptastadion.. fast construction (p. 32)
• THis may come from damages to LOA and hepstdion causrway by ceasar during Alexandrine War and repairs taken under cleopatra
  • Account is possibly ghostwritten by Aulus Hirtius; he did describe an attack on Pharos and causeway (prolly), said that ceasar blieved that control of the island was important to prvent further attacks, they were already besieged (Siege of Alexandria (47 BC) for more – I aint writing allat) (pp. 33-36)
  • Bridge is the causeway... tal to allow ships to go between harbours... confirmed by Strabo in 24 BCE (pp. 36-37)
• ceaser ordered desutrition of towers on Pharos... but not known if LOA was destoryed
  • Would be pretty unlikely since LOA is massive and demolition lasted a short time)
• But... possibile that repairs of Lighthouse following cesar inspired marcellinus... or he might have reported legends
  • Strabo says that pharos was desrted during augusts caesar's rule (p. 39)
• Accoridng to Diodorus Siculus: Scipio Africanus came to Alexandria. He doesn't care about anything except for the view of the city and the idiosyncrasy of the Pharos (pp. 39–40)
• Consider the folowing verse by Posidippus (epigrammatic poet): praises Sostratus for erecting LOA, saves lives (pp. 40-41)
  • First 8 lines: addressed to Proteus (Pharos island god)... basically sostus built the LOA bc of flatness of Egyptian coast, bright fire burnt to guide sailors at night.
• But last couplet is not clear... not known where he's going or identity of statue
  • We know statue exists... just dunno who the statue depicts (p. 42)
• To clarify: P.M. Fraser 1970 says its Zeus... Thiersch says it was Poseidon in 1908, but that was controverisal. (pp. 42-43)
• "Bull's Horn" is maybe the Diamond rock on the west side of Alexandria Harbour mouth, but exploded by Brits.
  • Three channels led to harbour, one called Taurus, all porbably had shoals/rocks... according to Pliny, Taurus is porlly most Western one, so would have been closest to LOA (p. 43)
• So posidepus imagined his sailor guided by LOA to the mouth at Taurus channel... prolly huided the ship to LOA
• But Zeus at LOA apex may not be Zeus... conflated w/ similar landmark in Alexandria... maybe temple or natural feature
  • Evident w/ ptolemic coins depciting Zeus iconography (p. 44)
• Or... maybe compliment to Potlemy that sailors were trying to reach Zeus in Alexandria bc Ptolemies are obssessed w/ Zeus (p. 45)
• So to conclude:
  • LOA was built bc of flat North Africa coastline in Egypt combined w/ extensive rocks and shoals... harzard for shipping, must be resolved for Alexandria to be successful port
  • Original concept of LOA is attributed to Alex the Great
  • Sostratus was the architect and constructor of LOA, close friend and courtier of Ptolemy Sorter... renowned architect... received gifts and money such that its possible he arranged funding of LOA, needed 800 talents
  • LOA prolly built between 297 and 284 BCE
  • Ptolemy prolly allowed Sostratus to dedicate LOA to himself
  • LOA connected by series of causeway including 7stadion causeway
  • Battle on Pharos damaged LOA, maybe why Marcellinus says Cleopatra built it
  • Statue at peak of LOA is unknown... including epigram on LOA (p. 46-47)

• LOA already famous bc of Alex, but more famous bc of 7wonders... imagery appeared through tons of imitations, images, and coins
• Although LOA foundation is after Alex's death, fame of LOA is linked to Alex's legacy. (p. 52)
• Homer mentioned pharos in iliad, so Alex may have been influenced to start Alexandria (p. 53)
• PHaros attracts alex's attention according to Kroll's reconstruction of Alexander Romance...
• So ptolemy therefore decorated the ilsnad with LOA to honour the Proteus shebang
  • But alex might have planned it esp during later years of his life... aspect of Alex's vision for safe ports
• Many medieval writers commonly attribute LOA to Alex like Al Masudi
• Also evidene that Ptolemy linked lighthouse to Alex via statue at top
• But now LOA in 7wonders (p 55)
• Herodotus is most likely original 7wonder guy... but LOA wasnt around his time (pp 55-56)
• Alex's expedition into India and his staff seeing Indian wonders may have boomed publications on 7wonders in the west in the early 3rd BCE (p. 56)
• LOA didn't appear in 7wonders until Gregory of Tours designated it as such in 6 century CE (p. 56-58)
  • But may not have been the first one... may have been influenced by now lost texts (p. 58)
• ArB WRITERS say that mirror at peak of LOA is one of the wonders of the world... porlly from Abdullah ibn Amr who said the same thing
• LOA is last one to be included in 7wonders, built prolly second last one to be completed... so list likely formed in 280 BCE and maybe in alexandria bc wonders are largely concentrated in Ptolemy empire (p. 59)
• So list was probably written by Callimachus in lost wonders list... would have been an insult to sponsors to neglect LOA (p. 59-60)
• [skipping page 60-61 for now cause too early to take notes about 7wonders]
• LOA is mentioned in tthe Antikythera mechanism... probably alluding to ancient eclipse near Pharos
• LOA in images during Ptolemy was limited, tho terracotta oil lamp depicted LOA's three floors
• Tomb at Taposiris Magna loos like LOA (p. 61)
• Later years of Domitian in early 90s ce that Alexadnrian-minted coins featuring LOA... not labelled, but kinda obvious it is (p. 62)
• Three main types (pp. 62-65):
  • Bronze hemidrachms: 91 CE to 177CE.... reverse features LOA that varies
  • Drachms: dpeicts Isis Pharia holding up sail and sistrum... faces to Pharos. From 112 CE to 150 or 156 CE
• Billon tetradrachms: from (187-188 CE).... depcits ship sailing to LOA
• But there are variants on LOA architecture bc of hand cutted dies, so many quarks
  • But all agree on lower stage of rectangle, at least one uper floor.. maybe square or cylindrical, but probably octagonal
• All have a male statue at the top w/ sinuous fish-tail blowing trumpets... mermen/Tritons
• Also rectangluar doorwy at lower stage, elevated above ground level... has ramp supported w/ arches
• Areas of conflict include walls of lower stage (stright or converging), third floor beneath the statue... absent in some coins
  • Third floor appears cylindrical on one coin, but look like inverted conical shape on the other (p. 66)
• Also on windows... some are a few dots in a vertical columns, others are rows acorss square faces
• Tritons/top statue are naked... they are mascots, not personifications of Alexandria (p. 67)
• Few coins say that main doorway is slihtly recessed into rectuangualr portico that went to grown level... ramp depicition is more realistic... maybe drawbridge or smth (00. 68-69)
  • LOA were good defense structure according to cesar... Johann Heinrich Friedirch Adler argued that LOA was probably fortress-like
• Statue faces same orietnation... but ramp direction is different... so statue might have rotated in aoccrdance to time of the day (per Arabic writers) (p. 69)
• Coin designs seem to be re-used images... (p. 70)
• Design of certain coins are similar to roman mosaic of LOA and ship in Palazzo dei Conservatori.. both drew inspiration from alexandria harbour or some seal crest (p.71)
• Also: Solvenian glass bottle dpeicts LOA... produced in Alexandrian glass workshop, also has mermen statues (p. 72-74)
• So: coin orodution of LOA went from 91 to 188 CE... provide a limited snapshot
• LOA continued to be written/imitaed by arabs into islamic caliphate.
  • They called it "Al-Manara" (place of fire)
• LOA influenced design of mosques.... they are minarets, i.e. diminituvie manaras
• Pharos also means lighthouse in different languages... went from gazing skyscraper to being told via coins
• To repeat:LOA came nautrally from building Alexandira, built at his instruction. How LOA became part of 7wonders ... and its imitated form. Most numerous representatiron that survied are coins. (p. 75)

• East mediterreanan had a bunch of earthquakes between 4-14 century CE... many in Alexandria, half of them damaged LOA... last one decimated it (p. 78)
• LOA wihstood 365 CE earthwquake and flood
• But 795-796 earthquake destoryed apex of POA (according to Al-Maqrizi)... not likely for statue to have survived
• But may have been repaired... 950 and 956 CE cracked the ighthouse (Yahya Al-Antaki and Al-Nuwayri).... latter one desotryed uppermost 30 cubits of LOA, per Al-Masudi
• According to Alfred Butler, SUltan Ahmad ibn Tulun put wooden cupola at the LOA's peak around 875CE... replaced by mosque by Al-Kamil... but destoryed in mid-10th century? (p. 80)
  • But porbably replaced... only 30 cubits shorter (Ibn Jubayr, 1183)
• Despite damaged, loa still successful... progressively more and more destroyed by three terrors in 1261 CE (large section fell down), 1303 CE: interim collapsed, 1341CE: main door is inaccessible... cannot enter the building
  • So LOA bcame rubble... much of its stone robbed to be used for building material
• 1472CE Plan by Ugo Comminelli says base of LOA survived into 15th century... then Qaitbay fortress used footprint of LOA's tower and part of its foundation (p. 81)
• Stone was robbed from LOA, some used in fortress... massive pink granite at door and window frames.. aslo in fortress basement
• But recent discvery last century) says that stones lie on a seabed northeast of the fortress
  • Possible bc a lot of E_p and wave energy, allowed stones to scatter near water
• Energy came from several probable sources:
  • Stored energy bc of weight of stones
  • E_GP bc of suspension of stones from massive height
  • Energy from earthquake gave swaying and rocking of stones
• Suggestions that the stones were dumped to prevent naval assult against alexandria
  • I mean the fact that they were dumped so far suggests they were dumped smh (p. 82)
• but maybe rocks were dumped bc they retained their clamps... it would have been robbed to prevent deliberate dumping bc of high value
• Clamp were predcessors to mortars... basically dowel between two bricks, but add lead
  • Supported by Al-Idrisi in 1154 CE
• Clamps are very effectie in joining stuff, but labour intesitive and expensiveeee in larfe quantities
  • Author believes that stone blocks were as large as they culd be to limit clamps
• Fancy architecture typically use blocks 1m or wider... (p. 83)
• But clamps could have a role in collapse... maybe clamps rusted by of salt water in crevices of the blocks/moisture cndition... so turned the LOA into fraigle tower
• Redisocvery of submerged bricks began in 1960 w/ Egyptian diver Kamal ABou el-Saadat... found them in a dive
• 1963: conviced egyptian navy to recover statue of potlemic queen... disguised it by saying it was isis
  • Inspired the egyptians to seek sid from UNESCO, Honor frost was assigned to project in 1968.... her and Kamal mapped the brick locations together... 1975 paper!!
• 1994-2004: jean-yves emperuer investigated site.. figured out bricks for giant door and statues for the LOA.. statues were part of collapse
• Aparently massive statue... emperuer temptd to say that its from LOA (p. 85)
• Bunch of papers and media recorded these recoveries, including:
  • Emperuer citing 110 column (fragments) w/ diameter up to 2.4m and 2555 architectual blocks out of 3000 blocks. 1997L Emperur and Nicolas Grimal published results from excavations... emphaisis on architectual elements and statuary... at the time no apparent link to LOA. Found bumch of columns (mostly aswan pink granite, some in marble, ranged from smol parts of smol proconese collumns to those that reached 2.4 diameter). They were alexandrian composite style w/ floral scrolls, some in white marble or black granite. aso several white marble columns. Stuff found include:
    • 11 blocks from architraves
    • 13 facing blocks
    • 19 pieces of cronices
    • 2 friezes
    • 7 Keystones
    • 5 Pierdot
  • McKenzie says 2655 blocks were surveyed, majority were red granite column shafts or fragments
  • Kom el-Dikk park says area of 1.3 HA, 2845 blocks were registered, found between 2.6 and 8.5m beneath the sea
• But how useful are they to reconstructing LOA? Some problems like which blocks were actually part of LOA instead of random rocks (p. 86-87)
• Some stuff to discuss:
  • Archaeologist findings are very much likely
  • number of columns is suprising... implies columns were important part of LOA... maybe some sediment in soil caused disturbance?
  • Possible to reocnstruct clues bc of greek architect standards... but som stuff are unique (p. 87)
  • Bunch of bricks were found, so questions whether fragmenets are part of smae building, but likely LOA got them overtime and were sourced elsewhere (Emperuer and Grimal talks about it more). Also possible three floors of LOA has different architectural style. Pink bricks might come from interior, but marble might be from entablature and othr fancy architecure stuff
    • Portico may exist in form of single column on side of base section in Palazzo dei Conservatori.
    • Colonnoade appears in Basillica di San Marco, Venice. Second stage has a shorter colonnade of reddish columns near parapet
    • Crdible islamic image: Abu Hamid al-Gharnati visting LOA in 1110 and 1117 CE. In line with Venice thig. Lantern with colmns is possivle use for six or eight columns, but no curved blocks in accordance to thiersch have been found.. no antique evidence for pillar lantern). Also may have flags, but the manuscript was penned 300 years after LOA was destroyed, so accuracy of representation purpose is unknown (p. 90)
• According to Description de l'Egypte, Qaitbey fortress supposed by authorities to be built upon LOA foundations. Ibn Iyas in 1522 says so
  • So implies debrs blocks on map lie 157 m away from cenrre of QB fort (p. 91)
• To validate origins of blocks, is max distance of travel consistent w/ expceted horizontal distribution of blocks in LOA collapse? (p. 92)
  • [After some boring calculations] yeah... all blocks plotted in 1995 are indeed debris from LOA collapse (p. 93-94)
• So implies event was as violent as a land-slide event(no suprises there bc loa collapse caused by failure of main outer walls) (p. 94)
• Othe rfactors influenced spread of debris such as storms over seven centurie signficanllty icnreased distribution of blocks... also maybe tsunams or earthquakes...
• Also can auge that spread should actually decrease bc of drag within seabed
  • But contrast w/ the author's fancy analysis! So reasonable to conclude that they are part of LOA
• There have been past incidents of dumping stones into harbour water for naval defence, but the valuable metal parts would be removed (clasiscla and hellenestic bricks would be joined via clamps rather than mortars (p. 95)
• So to conclude: LOA fell bc of earthquakes... clamsp were supposed to protect it, but exposure to sea spray caused iron to rust and eventuall weakne (p. 96)