Cool Finds Archaeologists Uncover Evidence of Ancient Tree-Lined Road in Egyptian Military Fortress Located in the northern Sinai Desert, the site is shedding new light on defensive structures built to protect Egypt’s eastern borders Tell Abu Saifi features housing units where soldiers and their families may have lived. Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Archaeologists in Egypt are unraveling the secrets of an ancient military site used during the Ptolemaic dynasty and the Roman era. The fortress, which was discovered decades ago, is located within the archaeological site of Tell Abu Saifi in Egypt’s northern Sinai Desert. The site holds the remains of ancient military structures, including dried-up dockyards where Ptolemaic ships may have been built and repaired. Now, researchers have uncovered additional architectural elements of the ancient site, including housing units, kilns, a defensive trench and a wide, limestone-paved road once lined with trees, according to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty began with the rule of Ptolemy I Soter around 305 B.C.E. The desert fortress was likely built during this time and later modified by the Romans, who ruled over Egypt beginning in 30 B.C.E. During these periods, the fortress of Tell Abu Saifi played a pivotal role in protecting Egypt’s eastern borders. “This discovery offers a deeper understanding of the defensive systems established in eastern Egypt and reaffirms Tell Abu Saifi’s historical role as both a military and industrial hub across various eras,” says Sherif Fathy, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, per Ahram Online’s Nevine El-Aref. The newly discovered trench, which was found near the entrance, is more than six feet deep. Meanwhile, the road appears to connect a fortress gate to the center of the site. Measuring roughly 36 feet wide and more than 300 feet long, the limestone-paved road is lined with more than 500 clay circles, where trees may have been planted. “It is certainly possible that clay planting circles could have been used to plant trees,” Elizabeth Macaulay, a classicist at the City University of New York Graduate Center who wasn’t involved in the excavation, tells Live Science’s Owen Jarus in an email. “Five hundred trees would have been a lot, but we have evidence from papyri and archaeology for the large-scale cultivation of plants—vines, fruits, trees—in Ptolemaic Egypt.” Researchers found roughly 500 clay circles at the site. Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, says the discoveries provide new insights into ancient fortifications in the desert, particularly entryways, according to Daily News Egypt’s Nehal Khalil. Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is a large, triangular piece of land that connects Africa to Asia, bordered by the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Many Egyptian kings built fortresses in the region, which they considered to be Egypt’s first line of defense, says Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud, former secretary-general of the council, per Asharq Al-Awsat. The newly discovered trench would have helped defend the Ptolemaic fortress against attackers. The dynasty faced numerous enemies throughout its centuries in power, including Egyptian rebel groups, the Roman Republic and the Seleucid kingdom. Along with the trench and tree-lined road, the researchers discovered soldiers’ quarters, which may have housed military families. They also found four corners of another large structure that may date to an earlier period, and they are currently working to confirm its age. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.