A 3,000-year-old Ramesses II inscription sparks fresh mystery over Egypt’s lost city of Masn

New discoveries at Tell Abu Seify in Qantara East are giving archaeologists fresh clues about an ancient Egyptian settlement that could be the long-lost city of Masn. Located along the Ancient Horus Military Road, the site once formed part of a strategic route connecting Egypt with its eastern frontier.

The latest excavations uncovered a large sandstone lintel bearing the titles of Pharaoh Ramesses II. More significantly, its inscription refers to restoration work on a statue of Horus, identified as the “Lord of the City of Masn”.

According to the Egyptian State Information Service, the discovery strengthens the possibility that Tell Abu Seify could be the ancient city of Masn. However, researchers have stressed that the identification has not yet been conclusively established.


Excavations at the site have also uncovered roads, massive enclosure walls, temple chambers, statues and remains from the Roman period. Together, the findings reveal how the settlement developed from a religious and military centre into a complex that was later reused and quarried over several centuries.

Ramesses II inscription offers clue to lost city of Masn

The most significant discovery is a large sandstone lintel that was found broken into two pieces. Inscriptions on three sides record the titles of Ramesses II and refer to restoration work involving a statue of Horus.

The deity is described in the inscription as the “Lord of the City of Masn”, providing a direct connection between the site and the ancient place name whose location has remained uncertain.

The inscription does not establish that Tell Abu Seify was Masn, but officials say it provides important evidence supporting the hypothesis. Archaeologists are continuing excavations and scientific analysis to determine whether the settlement can be conclusively identified with the city mentioned in ancient Egyptian texts.

The importance of the lintel therefore extends beyond its reference to Ramesses II. Its inscription potentially links the site to a specific ancient settlement, giving researchers another piece of evidence in their search for Masn.

What have archaeologists found around the ancient temple?

The understanding of Tell Abu Seify has also evolved as excavations have uncovered more of the complex.

Archaeologists are investigating a large mudbrick enclosure containing gateways, rooms and multiple construction layers. Recent studies suggest that the structure was not the temple itself but an outer enclosure surrounding the temple precinct.

Two stone-paved roads were discovered leading from outside the fortified area towards the temple. The older road dates to the Ptolemaic Period, while a narrower Roman road was later constructed over it.

The complex also contained storage rooms on its northern side and larger service areas to the south. The layout suggests that the settlement was carefully planned and repeatedly modified as its functions changed.

These remains provide evidence of how people moved through the complex and how the temple precinct evolved across different periods of Egyptian history.

How did Tell Abu Seify change during the Roman period?

The site continued to evolve long after its original religious and military functions.

Archaeological evidence indicates that the temple reached its architectural peak during the Ptolemaic Period. By the third century AD, parts of the complex had been converted into a military castrum.

The site underwent another major transformation during the Late Roman Period, when it was turned into a quarry for lime production. Two large circular kilns were constructed over the corners of the sanctuary, while limestone remains inside the structures showed signs of intense heating.

The sanctuary was apparently destroyed as quarrying expanded across the complex. The later remains therefore provide evidence of how the site shifted from a place of worship and military importance to an industrial centre.

What do the statues reveal about Tell Abu Seify?

Other discoveries from the excavation shed light on the site's religious, administrative and military significance.

Among the finds is part of a schist statue dating to the 26th Dynasty that depicts an army scribe carrying a broken naos. Archaeologists also recovered a headless and footless statue from the Late Period, part of a royal basalt statue, and fragments of basalt and limestone falcon statues.

Administrative and military objects discovered at the site add further evidence of its strategic importance on Egypt's eastern frontier.

When combined with discoveries from earlier excavation seasons, the new finds strengthen the possibility that Tell Abu Seify could be the location of Masn, a city referenced in New Kingdom texts.

However, archaeologists have yet to establish the identification beyond doubt. Further excavation and scientific research will be needed to determine whether this ancient settlement was indeed the lost city of Masn.