Egyptian archaeologists have found the ancient headquarters of the Pharaonic army in the Sinai Peninsula some 3km northeast of Qantara.

The site contains the ruins of a mud-brick castle with four-meter-high towers dating to the time of Ramses II.

According to Egyptian archaeologist Mohamed Abdel Maksoud, the fortress was used to guard the northeastern borders of Egypt.

A town was found next to the fortress which was identified with the ancient place name Tharu, Reuters reported.

"The archaeological features of this fort confirm the inscriptions on ancient Egyptian temples showing the shape of the city of Tharu, which lay at the start of the Horus military road," a Supreme Council for Antiquities statement read.

The site contains the first New Kingdom (1570-1070 BCE) temple and ancient Egyptian warehouses where the army stored grain, weapons, ovens, seals and earthenware.

TE/HGH