Archaeologists excavating at Tell Abu Saifi, approximately 90 miles northeast of Cairo, have unearthed a 3,000-year-old stone beam inscribed with the name of King Ramses II. This discovery holds significance for biblical scholars who associate Ramses II with the pharaoh mentioned in the Book of Exodus, the narrative of Moses leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. The site itself may have belonged to the ancient city of Mesen, which scholars believe was located along a military road relevant to the biblical Exodus.
The stone beam, or lintel, was found broken into two pieces and bears hieroglyphic inscriptions on three sides, detailing the pharaoh's titles. The inscription also references restoration work on a statue of Horus, described as 'Lord of the City of Mesen,' providing evidence for the identification of the ancient settlement. The location of Mesen along the Horus Military Road, which connected Egypt to the Sinai Peninsula and Canaan, is a key factor in its potential link to the Exodus narrative. Some scholars suggest this route aligns with the 'way of the land of the Philistines' mentioned in Exodus, though the biblical account states the Israelites were diverted from this path to avoid conflict.
While the discovery does not definitively prove that Moses or the Israelites passed through Mesen, and the city is not explicitly named in the Bible, the findings are compelling. Ramses II, who ruled from 1279 to 1213 BC, is often identified as the pharaoh of the Exodus due to Exodus 1:11, which mentions Hebrew slaves building the city of 'Raamses' (Pi-Ramesses), a city famously constructed by Ramses II. His long and influential reign during the 19th Dynasty, combined with this geographical connection, makes him a prominent historical candidate.
Egyptian officials stated that the inscription presents a 'strong archaeological and historical hypothesis linking the site to the ancient Egyptian city of Mesen.' Excavations also revealed the remains of a fortified temple complex, a mudbrick wall, gates, storage rooms, and two stone roads leading into the temple. Fragments of falcon statues and other sculptures were also recovered. The site shows evidence of continued use after Ramses II's rule, with portions converted into Roman military barracks in the third century AD.
Mohamed Abdel Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted that the site underwent 'several phases of development.' Further evidence of the settlement’s military and administrative importance emerged from sculptures found in the ruins, including a schist statue fragment depicting an army scribe from Egypt’s 26th Dynasty.
The recovered artifacts also include the torso of a royal figure carved from basalt, a Late Period statue missing its head and feet, and pieces of limestone and basalt falcon sculptures. These finds reflect the military and administrative activities that once occurred at the site, according to Mahmoud Galal, Director General of Sinai Antiquities.
This discovery follows another find in April, where a team excavating in Egypt's eastern Nile Delta discovered part of an ancient statue of Ramses II at Tel Faraoun. The statue fragment, standing about seven feet tall and weighing five to six tons, was sufficiently detailed to link it to royal sculptures from Egypt's New Kingdom period. Researchers believe this statue may have been transported from Pi-Ramesses, Ramses II's major city in the Nile Delta.