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[CULTURE] · Egypt · 5 sources

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Tell Abu Saifi excavations reveal evidence of lost city Mesn

Archaeological excavations at Tell Abu Saifi in Egypt have uncovered evidence that may confirm the location of the lost Pharaonic city of Mesn. The findings include a sandstone lintel bearing the name of Ramses II and mentioning the god Horus as the lord of Mesn, providing significant epigraphic support for the site's identification.

The site is situated along the ancient Way of Horus, a strategic military and commercial route that connected the Nile Valley to the Mediterranean Levant. Recent excavations led by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, through the Supreme Council of Antiquities, have revealed a large mud-brick wall with doors and internal chambers. This discovery has shifted the interpretation of the site, suggesting the structure was a fortified enclosure surrounding a temple rather than the temple itself.

In addition to the fortification, researchers found temple remains, storage rooms, and service quarters. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathi emphasized the strategic importance of this region in protecting Egypt's eastern borders and advocated for continued excavations along the Way of Horus to further reconstruct this historical landscape.

Entities

Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities · Horus · Mesn · Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities · Ramesses II · Ramses II · Supreme Council of Antiquities · Tel Abu Saify · Tell Abu Saifi

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