Hidden Beneath Egypt’s ‘Fortress Of The East,’ Archaeologists Unearth a Moat and a 500-Tree Walkway Lost to Time
New Discoveries At Egypt’s “Fortress Of The East” In The Sinai Desert
Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesRectangular structures at the fortress that likely functioned as dwellings for soldiers and their families.
The results of the new excavation were detailed in a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in which Minister Sharif Fathi emphasized the importance of the discoveries, noting that they offer fresh insights into life at this ancient Egyptian fortress at Tell Abu Saifi during the Baltic and Roman eras. The fortress had been an important military and industrial center for centuries before it was eventually abandoned.
According to Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the excavation’s purpose was to paint a clearer image of the architectural design of the eastern gates of the previously discovered Ptolemaic and Roman fortresses at the site. Thus, archaeologists could gain a deeper understanding of the layout of defensive fortifications from that time.
Meanwhile, a large defensive trench, or moat, more than six-and-a-half feet deep was discovered at the entrance of the Ptolemaic fortress, believed to be part of a defensive system that could be disabled as needed.
All of this, Khaled noted, contributes to a more accurate reconstruction of Egypt’s defensive positions along its eastern borders. It also reaffirms that the Sinai has always been Egypt’s eastern gateway and first line of defense.
The Grand Tree-Lined Walkway That Once Led To The Entrance Of The Fortress
Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesClay circles surrounding the entrance road likely indicate that hundreds of trees had once been planted at the site.
Professor Mohamed Abdel Badi, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, highlighted the discovery of a road roughly 36 feet wide and more than 328 feet long, paved with limestone slabs. The road extended from the eastern gate of the Roman fortress into the heart of the site. The road had been built on top of another older path from the Ptolemaic period, which was also paved with limestone.
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