The presumably largest ancient city to ever be uncovered in Egypt is considered to be the biggest archaeological discovery in the country since Tutankhamun's tomb was unearthed almost a century ago.
The find gives a rare glimpse into the lives of ancient Egyptians when the empire was at its wealthiest. Image: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Xinhua/picture alliance
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Archaeologists discover 'Lost Golden City of Luxor'
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an ancient city in the desert outside Luxor ion Egypt. They say it dates back to the golden age of the pharaohs more than 3,000 years ago.
Image: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Xinhua/picture alliance
Largest ancienct city unearthed in Egypt
The ancient city, reported to be the largest ever found in Egypt, dates back to the era of king Amenhotep III, who ruled the ancient kingdom from 1391 to 1353 BC. That's according to Zahi Hawass, the Egyptian archaeologist who led the expedition. "Many foreign missions searched for this city and never found it," Hawass, a former antiquities affairs minister, said in an online statement.
Image: Xinhua News Agency/picture alliance
Culture-dating instead of carbondating
Digs unearthing rings, scarabs, colored pottery vessels and mud bricks bearing seals of king Amenhotep III have helped to confirm the dating of the city, archeologists say. "The discovery of this lost city is the second most important archaeological discovery since the tomb of Tutankhamun," said Betsy Brian, a professor of Egyptology at John Hopkins University.
Image: Xinhua News Agency/picture alliance
Lost under layers of sand
The above photo taken on April 8, 2021 shows a preserved animal skeleton that has been in place for thousands of years under the desert sands. It is part of what was unearhed during seven months of excavations at the site that has been dubbed the "Lost Golden City" in Luxor.
Image: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Xinhua/picture alliance
Untouched for millenia
Excavations between the temples of Ramses III and Amenhotep III near Luxor had started in September 2020, about 500 kilometers south of Cairo. Within weeks, the team found mud bricks. "What they unearthed was the site of a large city in a good condition of preservation, with its walls almost intact, and with rooms filled with tools of daily life," said the archeology team in a statement.
Image: Xinhua News Agency/picture alliance
Human skeleton among digs
The team unearthed several neighborhoods, discoveriung things like a bakery complete with ovens and storage pottery, as well as administrative and residential districts. The city "will give us a rare glimpse into the life of the ancient Egyptians at the time where the empire was at his wealthiest," says US professor of Egyptian art and archaeology, Betsy Bryan.
Image: Xinhua News Agency/picture alliance
Pharaoh's Golden Parade
Just days ago, king Amenhotep III made the news in connection with a lavish parade of vehicles bearing the mummies of 22 ancient Egyptian kings and queens that paraded through Cairo to take them to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The national treasures are on display at the new Royal Hall of Mummies — among them the mummified remains of Amenhotep III.
Image: AP Photo/picture alliance
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Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of an ancient city dating back 3,000 years, which they describe as the "largest" ever found in Egypt. The renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass announced the discovery of the "lost golden city" located near Luxor, home of the legendary Valley of the Kings.
In a statement released on Thursday, the excavation team said the city "was lost under the sands and dates to the reign of Amenhotep III and continued to be used by Tutankhamun and Ay."
Biggest discovery since Tutankhamun's tomb
Betsy Bryan, professor of Egyptian art and archaeology at Johns Hopkins University, described the find as the "second most important archaeological discovery since the tomb of Tutankhamun" nearly a century ago.
Excavations began in September 2020 between the temples of Ramses III and Amenhotep III near Luxor, some 500 kilometers (300 miles) south of Cairo. Within weeks, the team discovered mud brick formations that ran in all directions.
After seven months of excavations, several neighborhoods have been uncovered, including a bakery complete with ovens and storage pottery, as well as administrative and residential districts.
'Golden age of the pharaohs'
Items of jewelry have also been unearthed, along with colored pottery vessels, scarab beetle amulets and mud bricks bearing Amenhotep III's seals.
Ancient historians say Amenhotep III inherited an empire that stretched from the Euphrates River in modern Iraq and Syria to Sudan and died around 1354 BC. His reign, which lasted over four decades, was renowned for its opulence and grand monuments, including the Colossi of Memnon — two massive stone statues near Luxor that represent him and his wife.
Bryan said the city "will give us a rare glimpse into the life of the ancient Egyptians at the time where the empire was at its wealthiest."
Egyptian archaeology trending
Last week, Egypt had transported the mummified remains of 18 ancient kings and four queens across Cairo from the iconic Egyptian Museum to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The elaborate procession was dubbed the "Pharaohs' Golden Parade."
Among the 22 bodies were those of Amenhotep III and his wife, Queen Tiye. The transportation was livestreamed for audiences around the world to watch.
