PITHOM

Egyptian Per-Atum, or Per Tum (Estate of Atum), probably modern Tall al-Maskhutah ancient Egyptian city located near Ismailia in al-Isma'iliyah muhafazah (governorate). Mentioned in the Bible (Exodus 1:11) as one of the treasure cities built for the pharaoh by the Hebrews, it was known to have been enlarged by the Ramesside pharaohs, especially by Ramses II (reigned 127913 BC), in whose reign the Exodus of the Hebrews may have taken place. The site has yielded sphinxes and statues of Ramses II and the best preserved of the trilingual stelae that commemorated Darius I the Great's completion of the NileRed Sea Canal.