Deir el-Atrash

Deir el-Atrash
دير الأطرش (Arabic)
Shown within Egypt
LocationEastern Desert, Egypt
RegionRed Sea Governorate
Coordinates26°56′06.0″N 33°04′59.0″E / 26.935000°N 33.083056°E / 26.935000; 33.083056
Typefort
History
PeriodsRoman and Byzantine
Site notes
Excavation dates2020
ArchaeologistsFrench Archaeological Mission to the Egyptian Eastern Desert (MAFDO)
ConditionIn ruins

Deir el-Atrash is an archaeological site featuring the remains of a Roman fortlet (praesidium) in Egypt's Eastern Desert. Positioned along the route to Mons Porphyrites, the fort was responsible for securing and supporting caravans transporting goods to and from the porphyry quarries.

The fort was garrisoned during two primary periods of occupation: first from the late 1st to early 2nd century AD, and again nearly three centuries later, from the late 4th to early 5th centuries AD. In 2020, excavations uncovered a series of well-preserved polychrome wall paintings at the fort's entrance.