3,500-year-old city wall of Avaris unearthed in Sharqiya

A massive ancient city wall has been discovered in the town of Tal al-Dabaa in the Nile Delta governorate of Sharqiya, and is believed to have served as the defensive wall of the city of Avaris.

The newly discovered wall is reported to measure over 500 meters in length and seven meters in width. Built on a sandy embankment, this white-colored wall is said to be constructed from sandstone bricks, and is believed to have served as the administrative capital of the Hyksos, the western Asiatic population which occupied Egypt during its Second Intermediate Period (1650 BC to 1550 BC).

The Ministry of Antiquities announced the discovery on Tuesday, and a statement published on the ministry’s official webpage reported that this previously undiscovered wall had been unearthed by a team of experts from the Austrian Archaeological Institute.

A river harbor is believed to have been built along this wall’s eastern side, while the city’s residential quarters are believed to have been built along its western side.

According to the ministry’s statement, the area of Tal al-Dabaa/Avaris remains shrouded in mystery as much of its remains are buried beneath agricultural lands in the area.

The statement concluded that this ancient archaeological site requires much more research, investigation, and analytic studies in order to shed light on its history. 

The city of Avaris served as the administrative center for the Hyksos around the time of their 100-year reign over Egypt, and dates back over 3,500 years, to the end of Egypt’s Middle Kingdom (circa 2055 BC to 1650 BC) and the beginning of the Second Intermediate Period..