Ancient horse burial uncovered inside New Kingdom Egyptian fort
Archaeologists have found the remains of a young male horse, likely used for chariot pulling, buried ceremonially within a fort in Egypt's western Nile Delta.
Excavations at the Abqaa’ archaeological complex in Egypt's western Delta revealed a ceremonial interment of a young, medium-sized male horse, probably employed to draw a war chariot. The fort, dating to the New Kingdom period, was constructed to repel Libyan incursions from the west. Among the associated finds were harness components, a tablet showing a bound Libyan captive from the Meshwesh tribe, and hieroglyphic inscriptions naming Pharaoh Ramses II and his successor Merneptah.
Researchers note that complete horse skeletons from Pharaonic Egypt are extremely scarce, making this specimen valuable for understanding equine use in ancient military contexts. While the animal was likely a draft horse, scholars caution against labeling it definitively as a war horse without clearer criteria.
