Egyptians who are into tracing their ancestry welcomed the news about a 3,000-year old lost city that archaeologists recently unearthed in the sands near Luxor. Hailed as another important archaeological discovery, the city is said to have existed during the reign of Amenhotep III, one of Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs who ruled between 1353 and 1391 BC.
According to Dr. Zahi Hawass, a famed Egyptologist, the “lost golden city” known as Aten, was excavated seven months after the archaeological mission began in September 2020. A former antiquities minister, Dr. Hawass said numerous international expeditions have tried to locate this city before, but did not succeed.
He elaborated in his announcement that so far, his team of archaeologists has uncovered a residential area of the city. They discovered houses with walls as high as 10 feet still intact, and with rooms containing mostly tools used for everyday living. Dr. Hawass said they will continue to carry out further archaeological work at the site, as they are hoping to unearth the areas where untouched tombs filled with priceless artifacts, are located.
Other Notable Discoveries About the Lost Golden City of Aten
Other notable details revealed about the lost city that existed under the sovereignty of Amenhotep III is that the ancient folks who lived there had left behind daily tools as if meaning to go back the next day. One example was a large bakery filled with ovens and storage potteries in sizes that denote baking for a huge number of workers in what seemed to be an administrative district.
In addition to colorful pottery vessels, archaeologists also found casting molds used for making rings and amulets, and tools used for other industries like metal forging, glass-making, and spinning and weaving cloth.
A notable find was the skeleton of a person who appears to have been buried in a rather odd position and condition, as its arms extended out to the sides, while its knees were bound with ropes. Dr. Hawass statement indicated that the burial method was “remarkable,” it required further investigation.