▁time ▁it ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁out post ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Egypt ▁on ▁its ▁front ier ▁with ▁C ana an . ▁During ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁King ▁Ram esses ▁II ▁( 1 3 0 3 – 1 2 1 3 ▁BC ), ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁became ▁the ▁eastern most ▁of ▁six ▁g arrison ed ▁for tr esses ▁in ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Mediter rane an . ▁The ▁string ▁of ▁for tr esses ▁began ▁with ▁the ▁S ina i ▁fort ▁in ▁the ▁west , ▁and ▁continued ▁through ▁the ▁" W ay ▁of ▁Hor us " ▁military ▁road ▁to ▁C ana an . ▁The ▁square - sh aped ▁for tr ess ▁of ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁had ▁four ▁to wers ▁at ▁each ▁corner ▁and ▁a ▁res er voir . ▁Arch ae ological ▁find ings ▁in ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁revealed ▁a ▁large ▁ancient ▁Egypt ian ▁c emetery ▁with ▁gra ves ▁containing ▁j ew el ry ▁and ▁other ▁personal ▁belong ings . ▁The ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁the ▁for tr ess ▁employed ▁traditional ▁Egypt ian ▁techniques ▁and ▁art istic ▁designs ▁in ▁their ▁architect ural ▁works . ▁The ▁cosm opol itan ▁aspect ▁of ▁the ▁front ier ▁site ▁is ▁proven ▁by ▁the ▁rich ▁C yp ri ot , ▁My c ena e an ▁and ▁M ino an ▁find ings . ▁ ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁remained ▁in ▁Egypt ian ▁hands ▁until ▁around ▁ 1 1 5 0 ▁BC ▁when ▁the ▁Phil ist ines ▁conquer ed ▁the ▁southern ▁coast al ▁area ▁of ▁C ana