Remains of Royal Rest House Discovered in North Sinai

An Egyptian archaeological mission has just unearthed the remains of a fortified mud brick royal rest house in Tel Hebwa (Tharu) in North Sinai.

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), revealed to #CairoScene that initial studies and findings suggest that the structure is likely from the reign of King Thutmose III of the New Kingdom Era.

This ancient site, featuring two interconnected rectangular halls and additional rooms, would have been used as a royal retreat based on its architectural design and lack of pottery shards. This discovery is especially important as it sheds light on ancient Egyptian military history.

Hisham Hussein, General Director of Sinai Antiquities and head of the archaeological mission, provided further details on the rest house explaining that it comprised of a main entrance that leads to a larger hall embellished with three limestone column bases. Connecting to this is a smaller hall with entrances on its east and west sides, with limestone column bases measuring two meters in diameter on either side. Stone thresholds of room entrances were among the remains unearthed during this archaeological excavation. The area also functioned as a cemetery during the Third Intermediate Period, with locally made amphorae used in child burials between the 21st and the 25th dynasties.