📜 Sile Tell Abu Sayfi in northern Sinai yielded a sandstone lintel inscribed with Ramesses II's royal titles and a reference to restoring a statue of Horus, Lord of Mesen, announced August 2026. The site reached its greatest development under the Ptolemies before becoming a Roman camp.
New Ramesses II lintel inscription supports Sile Tell Abu Sayfi as Mesen
Site mentioned
📍 Sile Tell Abu Sayfi🌍 Show on the globe
Key facts
- Sile Tell Abu Sayfi, near Qantara East in northern Sinai, lies along the Ways of Horus and had previously yielded inscribed blocks referring to Horus of Mesen.
- In August 2026, excavators announced a sandstone lintel with writing on three sides, including Ramesses II's royal titles and a reference to restoring a statue of Horus, Lord of Mesen.
- A temple found at the site reached its greatest architectural development under the Ptolemies.
- In the 3rd century CE, parts of the temple complex were converted into a Roman military camp.
- The new inscription strengthens but does not yet confirm the identification of Sile Tell Abu Sayfi as ancient Mesen.
Sources
New Discoveries Link Sinai Site with Lost Egyptian Cityarchaeology.org
New Discoveries Link Sinai Site with Lost Egyptian City. News August 19, 2026. Excavated wall and structure at Tell Abu Saifi, Sinai, Egypt.
Archaeologists may have found evidence pointing to ...jpost.com
Excavations at the Tell Abu Saifi archaeological site may have uncovered evidence of the lost Pharaonic city of Mesn, the Egyptian Tourism and ...
New archaeological discoveries in Sinaiegymonuments.gov.eg
Tell Abu Saifi site … uncovered remains of military fortifications, residential units for soldiers, and a trench,
Hidden fort, tree-lined road, and moat uncovered at ancient ...archaeologymag.com
Archaeologists uncover a massive ancient fortress in Tell Abu Saifi in Egypt's Sinai Desert, revealing tree-lined roads, soldier quarters, ...
Archaeologists Uncover Evidence of Ancient Tree-Lined ...smithsonianmag.com
The fortress, which was discovered decades ago, is located within the archaeological site of Tell Abu Saifi in Egypt's northern Sinai Desert.
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