Overview
- The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced a large fortress at Tell El-Kharouba near Sheikh Zuweid, dating to the New Kingdom more than 3,000 years ago.
- Excavations revealed an 86,100-square-foot complex with thick mud-brick walls and eleven defensive towers along the Horus Military Road.
- Artifacts include pottery, ceramic vessels, and a jar handle bearing the name of King Thutmose I, which helps date the site.
- Finds of imported volcanic stones, a large bread oven, and fossilized dough indicate a fully functioning military outpost supporting daily life.
- Media reports highlight the road’s relevance to the biblical Exodus setting, and specialists note this context does not constitute proof of the narrative, while a separate Proto-Sinaitic inscription claim remains contested.