Our team of archaeologists has made remarkable finds at this ancient stronghold situated on the fringes of the Sinai Desert at Tell Abu Saifi. This highly significant site goes all the way back to the Ptolemaic period, from about 304 down to 30 B.C. Even more remarkably, it has unveiled new insights into its historical significance. Military stronghold of the fortress during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. It’s an incredible testament to the development of defensive architecture, as well as large-scale agrarian society in ancient Egypt.
In 323 BCE, a general of Alexander the Great’s army—Ptolemy I—seized control of Egypt. His descendants, the Tarabids, ruled over the newly established region for generations. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities recently unearthed this site. By excavating areas with minimal modern disturbances, their team revealed evidence of a fortress that had adapted and evolved for centuries. Environmental justice advocates have pointed to its reality for decades. For now, these new discoveries add considerably to our understanding of life more than two millennia ago.
The fortress once featured a moat that dropped over 6.6 feet (2 m) deep. This extraordinary construction provided formidable protection at a time when the territory was controlled by the Ptolemies of Egypt. Archaeologists actually uncover good news for a change! Specifically, they revealed an extraordinary causeway to the fortress gate, 328 feet (100 meters) long and 36 feet (11 meters) wide. This road was paved with limestone slabs and bordered by 500 clay planting basins on each side.
These planting circles point to a much more complex agricultural environment. They probably favored large-scale cultivation of numerous woody and herbaceous plants, including grapevines and fruit trees. Elizabeth Macaulay, a classics professor at the City University of New York Graduate Center, pointed to other possible uses for these circles. She stressed their importance and worth in her field.
“It is certainly possible that clay planting circles could have been used to plant trees,” – Elizabeth Macaulay
Literary and archaeological evidence from papyri and other archaeological finds in Ptolemaic Egypt corroborates this idea. These results suggest that agriculture flourished during this period. The elaborate landscape surrounding the fortress likely featured 500 trees leading up to its entrance, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and practical use.
The Roman period followed the Ptolemaic period, starting in 30 B.C. and continuing until A.D. 642. Egypt during those years was a province of the Roman Empire. The changes added to the stronghold during this period prove even more to its ongoing stature as a critical military outpost. The current digs are revealing the amazing architectural developments of the fortress. They shine a light on its historical significance in critical times through Egyptian history.
Archaeologists at Tell Abu Saifi, toiling under the sweltering summer sun. The researchers hope for even more remarkable finds to further enrich our understanding of the secrets of the ancient Egyptian civilization. The finds to date highlight the military significance of this bastion. More importantly, they piece together the agricultural practices that allowed it to flourish.
