North Sinai is of significant historical interest primarily because of its role since late prehistoric times as a land bridge between Egypt and the Levant. Access to this region is challenging due to its harsh geography and security concerns. Remote sensing constitutes a convenient method for archaeological prospection and monitoring over such regions with its low cost (relative to ground based sensing techniques), global coverage, and high temporal and spatial sampling. This paper describes part of a study to revisit a number of sites investigated during the North Sinai Survey (1972–1982) with very high resolution optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite imagery. These were acquired throughout the summer of 2017 in the framework of a European Space Agency research project. The Synthetic Aperture Radar data includes Spotlight and Staring Spotlight modes of the TerraSAR-X mission, while the optical imagery was acquired by the Pleiades mission. The TerraSAR-X data were processed to derive filtered amplitude and consecutive coherence time series. The results of the TerraSAR-X data processing, and the pan-sharpened Pleiades data were compared with the results of the North Sinai Survey to detect possible additional buried structures in the radar data, or newly excavated sites in the optical data. While the analysis is still ongoing, results are reported here of the Qasrawet archaeological site, which was partially investigated by the North Sinai Survey expedition, but assumed to cover a much larger area. Herein, a number of newly excavated structures are apparent in the remote sensing data. The similarity of features in both the TerraSAR-X and Pleiades data suggest that all structures are surface residues, and therefore, that the subsurface mapping capabilities of the TerraSAR-X data in this area are limited. The utility of both data types for archaeological site monitoring are discussed.

Excavations at Tel Sera' (esh-Shari'a), yielded unique evidences for iron production in the courtyard of a Neo-Assyrian fortress. The assemblage is the most complete to have been found in the Neo-Assyrian Empire, with a singular case of an in-situ iron furnace. In addition, remains of further production, such as iron ore, furnace fragments, tuyéres, slag, and hammerscales, were collected and analyzed.This find offers a unique opportunity to apply analytical analysis to an Assyrian iron workshop, the only one excavated thus far within the confines of the empire, with solid archaeological context. Using microscopical and analytical methods, we argue that all stages of iron production were performed at Tel Sera'. Ferruginous sandstone ores were transported to the site and beneficiated before smelting. They were smelted in a furnace made from a ceramic fabric designed to withstand thermal stress. Immediately afterward, they were foraged into artifacts. This enterprise was performed under the direct control of the agents of the Neo-Assyrian Empire stationed on the Egyptian frontier. It is the only example of iron processing found in pure Neo-Assyrian contexts. Finally, we discuss the implications of this in the historical context of the Iron Age Southern Levant.