Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered a large New Kingdom fortress at Tell El-Kharouba in North Sinai, near the town of Sheikh Zuweid and the Gaza border. The site lies along the ancient “Way of Horus,” an important military and trade route that once connected Egypt to Syria, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia.

Archaeologists discover one of Egypt’s largest New Kingdom fortresses in North Sinai. PH๏τo courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

The fortress, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, dates back to the New Kingdom period (circa 1550–1070 BCE) and is among the largest defensive structures ever discovered on Egypt’s eastern border. It was part of a chain of forts built to secure the borders and protect the main routes between Egypt and Palestine and the Levant.

Excavations revealed that the fortress covers about 8,000 square meters—three times larger than another fort previously unearthed at the same site in the 1980s. Archaeologists have excavated a southern wall about 105 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, defended by eleven towers and a gateway about 2.2 meters wide. Sections of the northwestern and western walls, long buried under shifting sands, were also exposed.

Inside the fortress, a 75-meter-long internal wall that divided the structure from north to south was discovered by archaeologists, along with a quarter believed to have housed soldiers. Discoveries of pottery, storage vessels, a large bread oven, and the remnants of petrified dough offer indications of the daily life of the garrison stationed there.

Vessel stamped with the cartouche of King Thutmose I, unearthed at the site. PH๏τo courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

One of the towers contained a foundation deposit dating to the early Eighteenth Dynasty and featuring a vessel stamped with the cartouche of King Thutmose I. Archaeologists also uncovered pieces of imported volcanic stone, probably imported from the Greek islands, showing the scope of Egypt’s trade connections during the New Kingdom.

Early studies reveal that the fortress went through several phases of repair and redesign. The southern entrance, for instance, was modified more than once in an effort to augment the defenses and adapt to changing military needs. Successive alterations such as these demonstrate how Egypt’s border defense strategy developed over time.

The southern entrance. PH๏τo courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Experts explain that Tell El-Kharouba was part of an extensive network of fortresses that stretched across northern Sinai, including Tell Habwa, Tower Hill, and White Hill. Together, these sites demonstrate the advanced military organization of ancient Egypt and its ability to control the key eastern routes.

Archaeologists plan to continue excavations to uncover the remaining walls and investigate a nearby military port thought to have supported the fortress.

More information: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities