Map of Suez, Roman Clysma, Site of the Red Sea Crossing by Israel and Moses acording to the Christian Pilgrimess Etheria/Egeria (4th or 5th century A.D.)
Revisons through 22 November 2009
Please click here for my "latest map" (21 Nov. 2009) showing the site of Israel's "crossing of the Red Sea" in the Exodus as being at Ras el Ballah (my Baal-zephon)
The below map (1856) made before the Suez Canal of the 1860s, shows extensive shoals exposed at low tides, which Pharaoh's army would have been caught on in a returning morning tide (up to 5 feet high). Excavations in the 1960's have revealed that beneath the Roman fortess of Clysma lie the ruins of an ancient Egyptian fortress built by Pharaoh Ramesses III (ca. 1182-1151 B.C.). Perhaps this Ramesside fortress is the "Migdol" (migdal being Semitic for a "Tower-fortress") which is associated with the Red Sea crossing? This map is a German copy of an English map, Clysma's position is noted in German as "Position der alten Clysma" (position of ancient Clysma). Another ruin lies on an island just opposite Clysma. Today Clysma is called Kom el Qulzoum in Arabic.
An excellent series of maps of Egypt, 1797-1798 by Napoleon's cartographers is now (2009) available on the internet at the David Rumsey Historical Maps Archive.
To access these maps click on the below active url links.
When the map appears on your screen move your cursor across its surface, this will cause a zoom bar to appear.
Click on the + (plus sign) to activate the map's zooming bar's features; repeated clicking on the + (plus sign) magnifies the map, repeated clicking on the - (minus sign) decreases the magnifying effect.
By placing your cursor on the map while holding down your mouse key a "hand" will appear allowing you to move the Map about to various sectors, right, left, up and down.
Please Click Here for the 1797-1797 panoramic overview of Egypt, the Sinai, and Palestine.
Please click here for "another" version (more details) of Egypt, including Suez harbor.
