A Greek archaeological expedition to Gabal al-Haridi in the south of the Suhay region discovered a checkpoint that is at least 2,300 years old. The point operated during the reign of King Ptolemy III, who ruled from 246 BC. until 222 BC, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Monuments. The discovery was made during excavations looking for the remains of a Ptolemaic temple.
The case is in a brick building that looks like a tower,” explained Mustafa Vaziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. It was designed to check and control traffic when crossing the border between two areas, collect taxes and provide protection for navigation on the Nile.
The nearby temple is dedicated to the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis. The building is 33 meters long and 14 meters wide, and its axis is from north to south.
Archaeologists have found the remains of documents with the names, positions and salaries of workers, as well as the house of one of their leaders. Tombs from different periods have also been found, from the end of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Ptolemy III was one of the most powerful rulers of Egypt of this dynasty. Under his rule, the state expanded its territories and controlled the main trade routes, and the capital Alexandria was one of the main cultural and commercial centers of Hellenism.