Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered the remains of a massive 3,000-year-old fortress along an ancient route many believe was traveled during the biblical Exodus.
The stronghold, recently unearthed in North Sinai, lies directly on the fabled Horus Military Road, the same route the Book of Exodus describes as the shorter path the Israelites avoided when Moses led them out of Egypt.
Experts said the discovery provides tangible evidence that the road, long thought to be a key setting in the Exodus narrative, truly existed and was heavily fortified during the period traditionally associated with the Israelites' escape.
The site's age, scale, and location align with the timeline and geography described in Exodus, fueling debate over how much of the ancient text reflects historical reality.
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the find, describing it as one of the largest and most significant fortresses ever discovered along the Horus route, the military and trade artery that once linked Egypt to Canaan.
Archaeologists said the fortress, built during Egypt's New Kingdom period between 1550 and 1070 BC, stood as a powerful outpost guarding the empire's eastern frontier at the time Moses is believed to have lived.
The Book of Exodus 13:17 states: 'God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter,' referring to this very route.
'Now, the newly uncovered fortress offers a physical reminder of that ancient highway place where soldiers once stood watch as, according to Scripture, an enslaved people made their escape toward the Red Sea.
The stronghold, recently unearthed in North Sinai, lies directly on the fabled Horus Military Road, the same route the Book of Exodus describes as the shorter path the Israelites avoided when Moses led them out of Egypt
Pottery shards, ceramic vessels, and a jar handle stamped with the name of Pharaoh Thutmose I, who reigned from around 1506 to 1493 BC
The discovery was made at the Tell El-Kharouba archaeological site in Sheikh Zuweid, a Bedouin town in Egypt's North Sinai region.
Excavations revealed a sprawling fortification covering roughly 86,100 square feet, featuring eleven defensive towers, thick mud-brick walls and evidence of everyday life within its boundaries.
Pottery shards, ceramic vessels, and a jar handle stamped with the name of Pharaoh Thutmose I, who reigned from around 1506 to 1493 BC, were also unearthed, helping researchers date the structure to the height of Egypt's imperial power.
'The finds confirm that the fortress was a fully functioning center for the soldiers' daily lives,' the Ministry said in its announcement.
Archaeologists also uncovered quantities of volcanic stones that appear to have been imported from the Greek islands, along with a large bread oven and nearby remnants of fossilized dough, striking details that offer a vivid glimpse into life on Egypt's far-flung frontier.
Officials called the site a 'tangible embodiment of the genius of the ancient Egyptians in constructing an integrated defensive system to protect Egypt's land.'
Sherif Fathy, Egypt's minister of tourism and antiquities, said the fortress reveals 'new chapters of Egypt's distinguished military history' while underscoring Sinai's importance as 'a land bearing unique civilizational evidence across the ages.'
Historians note that while the find does not prove the Exodus story in its entirety, it substantiates key elements of its backdrop, especially the existence of the heavily guarded military road that the Bible says the Israelites were instructed to avoid.
The Horus Road, lined with fortresses like this one, served as a crucial trade and military route stretching from Egypt's Nile Delta to the borders of Canaan.
The Bible says Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. Pictured is an image from the 1956 film 'The Ten Commandments,' starrting Charlton Heston as Moses at the Red Sea
Historians note that while the find does not prove the Exodus story in its entirety, it substantiates key elements of its backdrop, especially the existence of the heavily guarded military road that the Bible says the Israelites were instructed to avoid
Its presence demonstrates that Egypt maintained firm control over the territory the Israelites would have had to cross, helping explain why the biblical narrative describes God leading them by a longer, desert path.
Another recent discovery in Egypt provided evidence about Moses' existence.
Researcher Michael Bar-Ron claimed that a 3,800-year-old Proto-Sinaitic inscription, found at Serabit el-Khadim in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, may read 'zot m'Moshe,' Hebrew for 'This is from Moses.'
The inscription, etched into a rock face near the so-called Sinai 357 in Mine L, is part of a collection of over two dozen Proto-Sinaitic texts first discovered in the early 1900s.
These writings, among the earliest known alphabetic scripts, were likely created by Semitic-speaking workers in the late 12th Dynasty, around 1800BC.
An independent researcher re-examined ancient markings in Egypt, suggesting a phrase could be the first words of Moses. He said it reads: 'This is from Moses'
Bar-Ron, who spent eight years analyzing high-resolution images and 3D scans, suggested the phrase could indicate authorship or dedication linked to a figure named Moses.
According to the Bible, Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, and is famously known for receiving the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. But no evidence of his existence has ever been found.
Other nearby inscriptions reference 'El,' a deity associated with early Israelite worship, and show signs of the Egyptian goddess Hathor's name being defaced, hinting at cultural and religious tensions.
Mainstream experts remain cautious, noting that while Proto-Sinaitic is the earliest known alphabet, its characters are notoriously difficult to decipher.