IFAO

Although situated within close proximity of each other on the Darb al- Ḥāǧ al- Miṣrī “Egyptian” in the Sinai, Abyār al-ʿAlā’ī and Wādī al Qurrayṣ should rightly be considered as two different places. Guarding the region of the “Dark” Abyār al-ʿAlā’ī was the work of the al-ʿAyḏ tribes, in which the Tarabīn tribe was defiantly involved. Previously unknown buildings were discovered in the Abyār al-ʿAlā’ī region, along with a dam situated in Wādī al-ʿAqaba. Many wells have been noted in the area and others were found by means of drilling, excavation and probing. Important among these discoveries is the remains of a qalʿa that should be considered a new addition to the known forts along the Darb al-Ḥāǧ al-Miṣrī in particular and for Sinai forts in general. Found also was the al-sulṭān Kitbuġa al-Manṣūrī mosque, comprising of the dome, water pools with their associated water-refineries and canals. A station associated with the reign of al sulṭān al-mamlūkī Kitbuġa al-Manṣurī was uncovered that included a number of wells as well as a rare inscription from a mosque. Many important historical inscriptions were discovered that will help us interpret the civil development of this region, in particular the al-manzel or “small station” and the al-manhel or “grand station” of the Darb al-Ḥāǧ al-Miṣrī.

Keywords: Darb al-Ḥāǧ al-Miṣrī, Egyptian Darb al-Ḥāǧ, Sinai, Fort Abyār al-ʿAlā’ī, Al-Qurrayṣ.