During development work at an archaeological site near the New Suez Canal archaeologists have uncovered the  Middle Kingdom Al-Amir Wall, which was previously only known from ancient documents.

Mohamed Abdel-Maqsoud, head of the development project of archaeological sites at the Suez Canal, said that the wall consists of a number of forts constructed of mud bricks with defensive trenches and barricades to prevent any attacks on Egypt from it eastern gate.

Four of the newly discovered forts, he went on, are dated to the 18th and 19th dynasties of the New Kingdom, while the others are from the Hyksos reign but all have wave breakers to prevent water of the Pelusium Nile branch to leak inside during the flood and the water of the Mediterranean Sea, located at its northern side, in winter.

A harbour connecting the Pelusium Nile branch with the Mediterranean Sea was unearthed near the wall.

"This harbour was not only a port for trade but a customs point as well," said Abdel-Maqsoud.

Abdel-Maqsoud pointed out that Al-Amir Wall was known from a papyrus relating the escape story of Vizier Senouhi out of Egypt during the reign of King Amenemhat III. The papyrus mentioned that the Al-Amir Wall was a great obstacle during Senouhi's flight out of Egypt because it was a huge and strong fortified structure.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Defense, said Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty, a panorama project like the one of Panorama October War on Al-Orouba street in Heliopolis, is to be established in an attempt to show Egypt's military history in ancient times.

It will also display the different architectural styles of military structures and the system used to protect Egypt's eastern gate.

ruins of a military fort