The Archaeology Magazine has named the “Lost Golden City” in Luxor as the most important archaeological discovery in 2021.
An Egyptian excavation mission headed by Zahi Hawass discovered the ancient city, “The Rise of the Aten”, which dates back to the reign of King Amenhotep III. The city continued to be used by King Tutankhamun, 3000 years ago.
Hawass said that the mission was searching for the mortuary temple of King Tutankhamun in that area, because the temples of Horemheb and Ay were found in the same place.
He described the discovered city as the largest one in Ancient Egypt. King Amenhotep III, the founder of the city, was the ninth king of the Eighteenth Dynasty. He ruled Egypt from 1391 to 1353 BC. His son Amenhotep IV, also known as Akhenaten, lived in the city during the last eight years of his father’s reign.
Hawass added that this city is the largest administrative and industrial settlement in the era of the Egyptian Empire on the western bank of Luxor. Some houses were found in the city, whose walls were about 3 metres high.
“We uncovered a part of the city that extended to the west, while Deir el-Madina (Monastery of the City) was part of our city,” Hawass added.
He explained that the excavations began in September 2020, and within weeks, mud-brick formations began to appear in all directions. The large city was in a good condition, as almost complete walls and rooms filled with the utensils of daily life were found. It remained untouched for thousands of years.
“The discovery of this city, not only gave us a rare glimpse into the lives of the Ancient Egyptians in the era of the empire, but it will also help us shed light on one of the greatest mysteries in history and why Akhenaten and Nefertiti decided to move to Amarna,” he said.
“We have a lot of information about tombs and temples, but this is the first time that it reveals secrets about the lives of the kings of the golden age of Egypt,” Hawass concluded.
