Archaeologists continue to make amazing discoveries - one of the oldest fortresses has been excavated on the Sinai Peninsula. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, a team of archaeologists unearthed the remains of two towers and found traces of the 85-meter wall. According to their calculations, the building was erected somewhere from 664 to 610 BC, during the XXVI dynasty. This is a very important discovery because it allows a better understanding of the development of the Egyptian fortresses and gives an idea of the strategic importance of the Sinai Peninsula in ancient times.
It is known that the Sinai Peninsula was extremely important for the protection of Ancient Egypt, since it was a border area from where it was possible to repel attacks from today's Israel. According to researchers, the protective wall stood on a hill, and the total number of clay brick towers was 16 pieces. Probably, the fortress was built on top of another, unfinished structure - by comparing them, researchers can understand the evolution of the defenses of Ancient Egypt.
The fortress consisted of many rooms in which, most likely, soldiers rested and water was stored. Small houses made of mud bricks were built near the walls - in the place of one of them, archaeologists found a quartz amulet with the name of the pharaoh of the 26th dynasty.
It is believed that the fortress was destroyed during a long siege - this could have happened by the Persian invasion in 525 BC. Archaeologists continue excavations and hope to learn more about the construction of the fortress. The find is likely to arouse great interest among tourists in the Sinai Peninsula.
Ramis Ganiev