Discoveries at Tell Abu Seify in Qantara East are giving archaeologists fresh clues about an ancient Egyptian settlement that may be the lost city of Masn. The site lies along the route of the Ancient Horus Military Road, a strategic corridor that connected Egypt with its eastern frontier. The latest excavations uncovered a large sandstone lintel bearing the titles of Ramesses II. Its inscription also mentions restoration work on a statue of Horus, Lord of the City of Masn. According to the Egyptian State Information Service, this evidence strengthens the hypothesis that Tell Abu Seify could be Masn, although researchers stress that the identification is not yet proven. Excavations have also revealed roads, enclosure walls, temple rooms, statues and later Roman remains. Together, the discoveries show how the site changed from a religious and military centre into a complex that was later reused and quarried over several centuries.
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