AUGUST 30, 2026 07:41

Updated: AUGUST 30, 2026 07:43

Work at the Tell Abu Saifi site may have brought to light clues about the long-lost Pharaonic city of Mesn, according to an announcement from Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Ministry made earlier this month.

The location sits in Qantara East within the Ismailia Governorate, positioned along the nation's eastern frontier next to the Sinai desert.

While digging to expose the historic Way of Horus military path that once ran from Egypt toward ancient Canaan, the team found a sizable sandstone lintel split into two sections and bearing inscriptions.

Three sides of the lintel carry the official titles of Ramesses II, often identified as the pharaoh linked to the biblical Exodus account.

A second inscription proved especially notable, mentioning repairs performed on a statue of the god Horus, titled Lord of the City of Mesn.

Dr. Hisham Hussein, who leads the Central Administration for Lower Egypt and Sinai as well as the excavation team, described the text as highly important for identifying the site's original character.

Dr. Hisham El Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stressed that although the find holds clear value, ongoing digs and analysis aim to gather more proof before reaching firm conclusions.

Temple remains from Roman-era destruction uncovered

Alongside the lintel, the team also exposed temple foundations thought to have been dismantled by Roman forces during stone extraction operations.

Excavators revealed a large mudbrick outer wall, gateways, inner chambers, multiple layers, storage areas, service spaces, and a sanctuary zone.

Analysis shows the complex passed through repeated phases of rebuilding and expansion over time.

Researchers note the temple reached its peak during the Ptolemaic era before sections were repurposed for a Roman military camp, or Castra, in the third century CE.

Two large round kilns placed over the sanctuary corners, marked by signs of burned limestone, indicate the area later served as a lime quarry in the late Roman period.

Historic roadways found during excavation

Two successive stone roads running from outside the fortified zone into the temple area were also located, one from the Ptolemaic period and the other from Roman times.

Mahmoud Galal, who directs the General Administration of Sinai Antiquities and the mission, reported additional finds of objects tied to both administration and military use.

Among them were a schist statue from the 26th Dynasty showing an army scribe with a broken shrine, a Late Period statue missing its head and feet, the torso of a royal basalt figure, and pieces of falcon statues carved from basalt and limestone.

The discoveries underscore the strategic and cultural importance of the region in safeguarding Egypt's eastern borders across centuries, according to Minister Sherif Fathy.

He noted that continued work along the Way of Horus helps rebuild a fuller picture of the route and its stations while highlighting the value of careful excavation and documentation in revealing fresh details of ancient Egyptian history.