Perhaps the new barracks were built in part because the Libyans were becoming an increasing threat to ancient Egypt. Archaeologists in Egypt have found the remains of a 3,200-year-old military barracks that contain numerous artifacts, including a sword with hieroglyphs depicting the name of Ramses II.
The building contains a series of granaries and a kiln. The team also discovered remains of pottery containing animal bones, including fish. Numerous cow burials were also discovered at the site, Ahmed El-Haradly, an archaeologist at Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities who is overseeing excavations at the site, told Live Science in an email.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement that in ancient Egypt, cows “symbolized power, wealth and prosperity, as cows were revered as celestial deities.” However, al-Haradly believes that in this case, cows could have been used as food. The cow bones were found in the silo area near the kiln, “confirming that they were probably cut into pieces and stored in the silos after drying,” he said.
Archaeologists also discovered remains of weapons, including a bronze sword inscribed with the name of King Ramses II (reigned from 1279 to 1213 BC). The sword was found in a small room in the barracks, near an area where the enemy could have attempted to infiltrate, suggesting it was for combat purposes and not just for display, al-Haradly said.
They also found two inscribed limestone blocks; one had a hieroglyphic inscription mentioning Ramses II, while the other quoted an official named “Bey,” the statement said.
The ancient Egyptians placed barracks along the military road in the northwest of the Nile Delta. The location of the facility would allow soldiers to counter groups entering the Nile Delta from the western desert or the Mediterranean, the statement said.
Source: Port Altele
