Lighthouses:Beacons of Safe Passage

Did you ever think that lighthouses would date as far back as Ancient Egyptian and Greek times? Imagine that!

Thousands of years ago, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks and Phoenicans lit bonfires on hilltops and cliffs to help guide sailors along treacherous shores. You can find references to them if you read Iliad and Odyssey which were both written in the 8th century BC.

Around 280 BC, the Egyptians built the first great lighthouse in history. The Pharos stood 450 ft tall ( that was the tallest structure of its time.) The Romans were next to follow. They built a system of lighthouses along the coasts of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Ruins of these structures can still be seen today on the shores of France and Great Britain.

By 1100, Italy and France took the lead in the designs and construction. Great Britain was following closely. By 1716 America's first lighthouse Boston Light, was built in Massachusetts.

Egypt's Pharos of Alexandria stood three stories tall, took twenty years to build, and used thousands of slaves. It was considered one of the seven wonders of the world. It remained standing for 1,600 years ( longest of any lighthouse) In 1349, it was found in ruins, possibly from an earthquake.

The Greek, Colossus of Rhodes was built shortly after Pharos was completed. It was a ten story Bronze statue of a man straddling the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes. He held a lantern high above his head.

Roman Emperor Caligula commissioned a structure to be built in Boulogne, France. La Tour d'Orde aka Caligula's Light was done in 40 AD. It stood 192 ft above the English Channel. When Henry the 8th captured Boulogne it was converted into a fort.

The Phoenicians built the Tower Of Hercules on the coast of Spain. ( around 100 AD) This was the only lighthouse to still be in use during the 20th century.

My fascination with lighthouses started a few years ago. Just about everywhere I went, I encountered other driver's license plates that featured a lighthouse. They were plates promoting cleaner shores for New Jersey. Because they were constantly, directly in front of me...literally, I took it to be a sign. So I read about them, I collected a few figurines and found references of the Light in the Bible. So yes, I did follow the signs.

• The structure represents a fortress or safe haven.
• Cracking waves represent negative experiences in our daily lives.
• Rocks along the shore are symbolic in that, they offer steady protection.