07/06/2026
A Hidden Chapter of Historic Cairo Has Been Uncovered
A joint Egyptian-French archaeological mission has uncovered important Mamluk-era remains near Saladin’s Citadel in Cairo, revealing new details about the city’s Islamic history and advanced urban planning.
In the Arab al-Yasar area, archaeologists discovered a complete Mamluk water system that once helped supply the Citadel. The system includes two large stone wells, waterwheel structures, stone channels, animal tracks, shelters, fodder stores, and watering troughs. These findings show how carefully water resources were managed during the Mamluk period.
The discovery is especially significant because it reveals, for the first time, details of the final section of the hydraulic system connected to the historic Aqueduct of Cairo, also known as Sur Magra El-Oyoun.
In the nearby al-Hattaba area, the mission also uncovered the remains of a Mamluk-era mosque, including parts of the prayer hall, mihrab, southwestern portico, and stone flooring. A burial chamber, several Islamic-period tombs, and a cemetery believed to date back to the early Islamic era were also found.
The mission documented the site using modern digital technologies, including 3D models of several archaeological structures. Additional finds included pottery buckets, Mamluk and Ottoman coins, jewelry, metal seals, weapon fragments, and daily-life tools from later historical periods.
These discoveries add valuable insight into the development of Historic Cairo, the infrastructure surrounding Saladin’s Citadel, and the advanced engineering systems used in Egypt during the Islamic era.
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