Journal of Applied Sciences1812-56541812-5662Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jas.2011.2513.2524M. AkarishAdel I.DessandierDavid1220111114The present study was aimed to present a detailed study concerning the nature and characterization of stones constituting some of the Alexandria Lighthouse monumental objects that are made of sedimentary rocks, as well as indicating their corresponding ancient quarries. A field inspection of the objects that were salvaged from the seabed and are presently displayed or stored at different locations in Alexandria city is conducted and a series of samples from objects that are still underwater are collected and studied. Petrographic studies, XRD, XRF/ ICP-AES and δ13C and δ18O isotopes analyses were carried to characterize the different rock types in terms of their petrographic types of stone and chemical properties. The studies revealed that these archaeological objects (stone blocks, columns, part of columns, statues and obelisks) are constructed from different igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The archeological objects made of sedimentary rocks are formed of quartzitic sandstones (orthoquartzite), greywacke (siltstone and sandstone) and limestone (lime-mudstone and sandy dolomite/dolomite sandstone). The source area of each type of stone constituting the archaeological samples is performed, including delimitation of the corresponding ancient quarries when possible. Wadi Hammamat and Gebel Ahmar quarries were the provenance areas of the greywacke and quartzitic sandstones used in the Alexandria Lighthouse objects, respectively. Moreover, results and the data derived expand the knowledge concerning Egyptian monumental stones and provide inspiration for future investigations and studies.]]>Abd-Alla, M.A.,2000Egypt. J. Geol.,44431442Akaad, M.K. and A.M. Noweir,1980Inst. Applied Geol. Bull.,3127136Aston, B.G., J.A. Harrell and I. Shaw,2003Stone.2003pp: 5-77pp: 5-77Barron, T.,1907The Topography and Geology of the District between Cairo and Suez.pp: 133pp: 133Bloxam, E., T. Heldal, P. Storemyr, A. Kelany, P. Degryse, R. Boe and A. Muller,2007Characterization of complex quarry landscapes: An example from the west bank quarries Aswan.2007Dessandier, D., A. Akarish, F. Antonelli, L. Lazzarini and L. Leroux et al.,2008Atlas of the stones of Alexandria lightouse, Egypt.2008Dessandier, D., P. Bromblet, J.M. Vallet, L. Leroux, A. Akarish, A. Nageh and A. Shoeib,2008Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone,2008pp: 11891196Dickson, J.A.D.,1966J. Sediment. Petrol.,36491505Dominique, P.C.,1995Voyageurs Arabes.1995Dunham, R.J.,1962Classification of Carbonate Rocks According to Depositional Texture.1962pp: 108-121pp: 108-121El-Hinnawi, E. and S. Loukina,1993Sedimentol. Egypt,13542Empereur, J.Y.,1996Egypt. Archaeol.,8710Empereur, J.Y.,1998Alexandria Rediscovered.pp: 256pp: 256Empereur, J.Y.,2000Underwater Archaeological Investigations of the Ancient Pharos.2000pp: 54-59pp: 54-59Folk, R.L.,1959AAPG Bull.,43138Hairy, I.,2004Ktema,296777Hairy, I.,2006La Recherche,3944450Harrell, J.A.,1992Archaeometry,34195211Harrell, J.A., V.M. Brown and M.S. Masoud,1996Survey of ancient Egyptian quarries.1996Holail, H.,1993Chem. Geol.,106375388Holail, H.M. and A.K.M. Moghazi,1998Sediment. Geol.,116227250Issawi, B., M. El-Hinnawi, M. Francis and A. Mazhar,1999The phanerozoic geology of Egypt: A geodynamic approach.1999Klemm, R., D.D. Klemm and L. Steclaci,1984Commun. German Archaeol. Inst.,40207220Klemm, R. and D.D. Klemm,2008Stones and quarries in Ancient Egypt.pp: 465pp: 465Klitzsch, E., F.K. List and G. Pohlmann,1986Geological map of Egypt (1:500 000 in 20 sheets).1986Mccrea, J.M.,1950J. Chem. Phys.,18849857Pettijohn, F.J., P.E. Potter and R. Siever,1987Sands and Sandstones.2nd Edn.,pp: 553pp: 553Said, R.,1990The Geology of Egypt.Pages: 734Pages: 734Thiersch, H.,1909The Pharaohs, Antiques, Islam and Occident. A Contribution to the Archeological History.pp: 220pp: 220