Urgent| Fortresses of the East…the discovery of a military fortress on the Horus War Road in Sinai

The Egyptian archaeological mission working at the archaeological site of Tell El-Kharouba in the Sheikh Zuwayd region in North Sinai uncovered a military fortress from the New Kingdom era. It is considered one of the largest and most important castles discovered on the Horus War Road, and is located near the Mediterranean coast.

This archaeological discovery is a new addition that confirms the splendor of the military planning of the kings of the New Kingdom, who built a series of castles and defensive fortifications. To protect Egypt’s eastern borders and secure the most important strategic roads that linked ancient Egypt to Palestine.

Mr. Sherif Fathi, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, indicated that this discovery is a tangible embodiment of the ancient Egyptian genius in building an integrated defense system to protect the land of Egypt, and narrates new chapters of our ancient military history, and enhances Sinai’s position as a land bearing unique cultural evidence throughout The ages.

Dr. Muhammad Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that the discovery of this huge fortress is an important step in reconstructing the complete picture of the Egyptian fortifications network on the eastern borders during the New Kingdom, adding that every fortress we discover adds a new building block to our understanding of the military and defensive organization of Pharaonic Egypt, and confirms that Egyptian civilization was not limited to temples and tombs. Not only that, but it was a state of strong institutions capable of protecting its land and borders.

He added that the excavation work resulted in the uncovering of part of the southern wall of the citadel, about 105 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, with a sub-entry 2.20 meters wide in the middle, in addition to eleven defensive towers that have been uncovered so far. The northwestern tower and part of the northern and western walls were also uncovered, as the mission faced great challenges due to the shifting sand dunes that covered large parts of the site.

For his part, Professor Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, said that the mission also uncovered a 75-meter-long Zigzag wall on the western side of the citadel, It divides it from north to south, and surrounds a residential area designated for soldiers. It is a distinctive architectural design in the era of the New Kingdom that reflects the ability of the ancient Egyptian architect to adapt to the harsh environment.

 

Various pottery fragments and vessels were also found, including foundation deposits at the bottom of one of the towers dating back to the first half of the Eighteenth Dynasty, in addition to the handle of a vessel. Stamped with the name of King Tuthmosis I. Quantities of volcanic stones were also found that were likely transported across the sea from the volcanoes of the Greek islands, in addition to a large oven for preparing bread and quantities of fossilized dough next to it, which confirms that the citadel was an integrated center for the daily life of the soldiers.

Dr. Hisham Hussein, head of the Central Department of Lower Egypt Antiquities, explained that preliminary studies proved that the citadel witnessed several stages of restoration. Modifications have occurred over the ages, including modifications to the design of the southern entrance more than once, while the mission hopes to complete the excavation work to reveal the rest of the walls and associated facilities, and it is expected to find the military port that served the castle in the area near the coast.

He added that the area of the new castle is about 8,000 square metres, which is equivalent to three times the area of the castle that was discovered at the same site in 1980s, which is located about 700 meters southwest of the current castle. This castle is a new addition to a series of military fortresses discovered on the Horus War Road, the most prominent of which are Tell Habwa, Tell El-Burj, and Tell El-Abyad, all of which date back to the era of the New Kingdom.

 

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