Egypt unearths major discoveries along ancient Horus military route

Dubai: An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered a massive mud-brick wall, ancient stone roads and an inscription bearing the titles of King Ramses II at Tell Abu Seifi in Ismailia province, shedding new light on the ancient Horus military route and its role in defending Egypt’s eastern frontier.

The discoveries at the site in Qantara include the outer wall of a sanctuary surrounding a large temple associated with the ancient Egyptian city of Mesen. Archaeologists found the wall’s gateways, internal chambers and successive construction layers.

The mission also uncovered two stone roads built in different periods and leading from outside the fortified area into the temple. The first dates to the Ptolemaic period, while a narrower Roman road was later built above it.

Among the most significant finds was half of a massive sandstone lintel, broken into two pieces and inscribed on three sides. It bears the titles of Ramses II as well as a text referring to restoration work carried out on a statue of Horus, lord of Mesen.

Mahmoud Galal, director-general of Sinai Antiquities and head of the archaeological mission, said excavations also yielded artefacts pointing to the site’s administrative and military importance.

They included part of a schist statue dating to Egypt’s 26th Dynasty depicting an army scribe holding a damaged shrine. Archaeologists also found a headless and footless statue from the Late Period, the basalt torso of a royal statue and fragments of falcon statues made from basalt and limestone.

The excavations indicate that the site underwent several phases of development and changing use. The temple reached the height of its architectural development during the Ptolemaic period before parts of the site were reused to build a Roman military barracks, or castrum, in the third century AD.

During the late Roman period, the site was converted into a centre for lime production. Archaeologists uncovered two large circular kilns containing remains of limestone exposed to intense burning.

The findings reinforce Tell Abu Seifi’s importance as a major site along the ancient Horus military route, which played a key role in protecting Egypt’s eastern borders.

They also show how the site’s function evolved over centuries, serving military, religious and economic purposes during the Pharaonic, Ptolemaic and Roman periods.