Lighthouses help the seafarers find their way by emitting a beam that helps them locate land. The lights can also warn them of dangerous waters or known points of navigation. Many have bells and horns that sound at certain times to signal danger or identify their location. They can even be paired to serve as range lights, which allows a sailor to use the light of one to determine the location of another.
This was important in the earliest days of shipbuilding, as mariners relied on light to navigate their vessels. As the technology improved, it became easier and faster to build towers with lenses that could produce more powerful light, and the era of the modern lighthouse began in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The towers were often made of stone, brick, concrete, steel, or tabby (a mixture of shells, lime, sand and water), depending on the geography and climatic conditions of their locations. Their first purpose was to be a landmark that would mark a safe harbor or warn of hazards like reefs or rocks. The towers were erected on the shore or in the water to increase their visibility, and they were painted to help mariners recognize them in the daytime. They also emitted specific codes of flashing, allowing a navigator to pinpoint their location using a chart and compass.
In recent decades, the number of lighthouses has declined and their roles have been largely taken over by automated systems. But they still serve a very important function, and in some cases, such as during a hurricane, a lighthouse can be a vital community resource.