An Egyptian archaeological mission working at the Tel al-Kharouba archaeological site in the Sheikh Zuweid area of North Sinai has uncovered a military fortress from the New Kingdom period.
One of the largest and most important fortresses discovered on the Horus War Road, the site is located near the Mediterranean coast.
This archaeological discovery documents the careful military planning of the New Kingdom kings, who built a series of fortresses and defensive fortifications to protect Egypt’s eastern borders and secure the most important strategic routes that connected ancient Egypt to Palestine.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy noted that this discovery reinforces Sinai’s status as a land bearing unique cultural evidence throughout the ages, while adding to scientific knowledge about Egypt’s military history.
The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail Khaled said that the discovery of this massive fortress is an important step in reconstructing the complete picture of Egypt’s fortification network on the eastern borders during the New Kingdom.
“Every fortress we discover adds a new building block to our understanding of the military and defensive organization of Pharaonic Egypt, confirming that Egyptian civilization was not just limited to temples and tombs, but rather was a state of strong institutions capable of protecting its land and borders,” he explained.
He added that excavation work revealed a portion of the fortress’s southern wall, approximately 105 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, with a 2.20-meter-wide secondary entrance in the middle, in addition to 11 defensive towers that have been discovered so far.
The northwestern tower and parts of the northern and western walls were also uncovered, with the mission facing challenges due to the shifting sand dunes that covered large parts of the site, Khaled said.
The head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, Mohamed Abdel-Badie, said that the mission also uncovered a 75-meter-long zigzag wall on the western side of the citadel, dividing it from north to south and surrounding a residential area for the soldiers.
