The tomb of a horse and royal insignia are among the latest discoveries made by a local archaeological mission at Tell el-Abqa'in, a site in the Western Nile Delta approximately 75 kilometres from Alexandria, Egypt, where a military fortress from the time of Ramesses II is believed to have stood.
The excavations — said Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities — have brought to light a large residential complex built of sun-dried mud bricks and a series of structures and finds that shed light on both military and daily life at the site, as well as a collection of tools and artefacts linked to religious beliefs and everyday activities. Large ceramic jars still contained charred wheat grains.
Among the most significant finds is the complete burial of a young horse. Its posture, the orientation of its head and the orderly nature of the burial suggest an intentional and organised interment, indicative of a ceremonial significance.
In the same area, a limestone stele fragment was also discovered for the first time, bearing the remains of a hieratic inscription by King Merneptah. The inscription describes the power of the ruler, likening it to that of the god Seth, and also mentions the creator god Ptah. The mission likewise unearthed the remains of a limestone stele bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions, including the birth name, coronation name and Horus name of King Ramesses II.
Among the finds was another stele depicting a prisoner with a curved body and bound hands. His attire suggests he was a Libyan prisoner from the Meshwesh tribe, bearing witness to a conflict of the era connected to the securing of Egypt's western borders at that time.
