Tjaru

Sile (also Tjaru, THARO, Djaru, Zaru; Arabic Tell Abu Sefeh; ancient Egyptian Pa - chetem -en- tjaru; Akkadian sillu ) was an Egyptian fortress, which was in the eastern delta, at the present Suez Canal and of the kings of the 18th and 19th Dynasty was used.

History

The place name is Tjaru first time in the Middle Kingdom in the statement " Dua - Khety, the man of Tjaru " testifies. Ahmose I of the 18th Dynasty " fought the Hyksos in Tjaru ". One note on the mathematical Rhind papyrus can be seen that in the second Peretmonat ( early February ) of the eleventh year of the reign of Chamudi ( 1533/32 BC), Ahmose I (18th year of reign ) Heliopolis and took about half a year later on 25 Achet I at the time of the Nile flood ( mid-August) Sile reconquered.

In the Amarna letter EA 288 Sile was called in Akkadian language as " sillu ". Ramses II was launched by Sile his campaign to Kadesh. Even otherwise Sile served among other things as a starting point for expeditions on the Horusweg, the main trade route in the regions Retjenu, Amuru and Naharin. After the expulsion of the Hyksos Sile was built primarily as a defense against any new conquest attacks from the Asian region. The boundary walls had a thickness of 13 meters, built of fired mud bricks. The fort, 500 meters x 250 meters, was also the largest defense castle in a series of ten more border fortifications such as the Migdol of Ramses III. To plant a deep moat was drawn to keep out attackers. 24 watchtowers were built into the outer walls.

Archaeological excavations began in 1991 as part of the Sinai Archaeological Project under the leadership of Mohammed Abdul Maqsoud. In the second half of 2007 archaeological finds have been published. So were found in the apartment buildings and tombs traces of volcanic ash and 20 Bimssteinfragmente that date to the 16th century BC. Zahi Hawass and other scientists therefore see a connection with the volcanic eruption on Santorini. Trade winds could have transported the volcanic ash in the Nile Delta. Georges Vougioukalakis, Greek geologist, suggested that the Bimssteinfragmente reached the sea currents to Egypt. Reference is made by some scientists on the storm stela of Ahmose I.. It is reported by a natural disaster: " Of tremendous roar and several days of darkness in Egypt ", which corresponds to a typical side effect of a volcanic eruption. Other scientists argue that that " storm " is symbolic to be interpreted as a state of devastation in Egypt after the end of the Hyksos period. The archeology has so far demonstrated no trace of ash layer during the reign of Ahmose I. Avaris or Lower Egypt.

The " storm " occurred between the eleventh and the 22nd year of the reign of Ahmose I. Following Jürgen von Beckerath dating would have the catastrophe between 1539 BC to 1528 have taken place BC. Recent studies have revealed, however, that the volcanic eruption on Santorini about 1627-1600 BC occurred.