Ancient city discovered near Cairo
A team of archaeologists has discovered parts of what was a city of great commercial importance dating from Dynasty XXVI (625-664 BC) in the city of Ismailiya, 120 kilometers east of Cairo. The Supreme Council of Antiquities said in a statement that the fortress, found in the archaeological site of Tel Dafna has a wall of thirteen meters long, the largest found so far to the east of the Nile Delta.
The citadel with an old military road was used as a trading post in the east of Egypt, and also to protect the eastern borders from invaders.
Archaeologists found in the same area a church with fifteen large stores of weapons and ammunition as well as a small palace.
Translated from Amigos de la Egiptología
Fortified Garrison Town Discovered in the Northeastern Delta
The northeast Delta held a special position in Egypt; the area acted as a major centre for trade with the east, and was also the location of an ancient military and trade route known as the Ways of Horus, which connected Egypt with the East. The area was used as a strategic position by the Late Period kings (ca. 747-525 B.C), especially those of the 26th Dynasty, in order to defend the eastern borders of Egypt from invaders.
Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the SCA, stated that King Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty (ca. 1279-1212 BC) chose the site of Tell Dafna to erect a fortress or fortified town at Egypt’s eastern border in order to repulse Egypt’s enemies. The newly discovered fortress shows that King Psmatik I (ca. 664-610 BC) also built fortifications here.
Dr. Mohamed Abdel Maksoud, Head of the Central Department of Lower Egyptian Antiquities and the director of the mission, said that the newly discovered fortress covers an area of about 380×625m, while the enclosure wall is about 13m in width. It is considered to be the largest fortress discovered in the eastern Delta.
The mission also discovered a large mudbrick temple, consisting of three halls. There is also a group of storage magazines at the eastern and western sides of the temple. A small mudbrick palace was also discovered at the northeast side of the temple, consisting of eight rooms.
Furthermore, the mission discovered a group of drainage networks for rain water inside the ancient structures, consisting of pottery tunnels that end with a group of pottery vessels buried vertically in the sand to a depth of about three meters.
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