Origin
A piece of shattered lens from the Lighthouse of Alexandria that was collected by Warehouse agents.
Effects
It increases the brightness of light shown through it like a magnifying glass and can cause temporary blindness. It is part of Artie's bag.
Artie used this artifact to temporally blind a man under the influence of Mata Hari's Stockings while he was also under the stockings effects to get to a woman the both of them were fighting over.
History
The Lighthouse (Pharos) of Alexandria was a tower built between 280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt. For centuries, it was the tallest man made structure on Earth and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was created because Pharos Island was infamous for sinking ships that wrecked into it. It was built with a mirror at the top to reflect sunlight during the day and a place for fire to burn at night. Sadly, the lighthouse
was destroyed after an earthquake in 1303 and again in 1323. French archeologist discovered remains of the lighthouse on the bottom of Alexandria's Eastern Harbor in 1994. Some of the remains were brought to the surface and are still lying near the harbor for people to see. People also go diving to see the remaining ruins.
Trivia
- The shard of glass used in the episode was collected from the glass factory used to film the beginning of "Merge With Caution."