3000-Year-Old ‘Lost Golden City’ Of Luxor, Discovered by Egypt Archaeologists, Has Bakery, Cemetry And More

The ancient city is believed to have been used by Tutankhamun and his successor Ay during the golden era of ancient Egypt.

On Thursday, Egypt announced the discovery of one of the most important finds since the unearthing of King Tutankhamun’s tomb almost 100 years ago in 1922. A 3000-year-old “lost golden city” from the era of 18th-dynasty king Amenhotep III, who ruled ancient Egypt from 1391 to 1353 B.C., was found in the southern province of Luxor, near some of the country’s best-known monuments. Isn’t that fascinating?According to the experts, the city is believed to have been used by Tutankhamun and his successor Ay during a period widely believed to be the golden era of ancient Egypt.

3000-year-old lost golden city of Luxor. (Source: AFP)

All About The Lost Golden City

3000-year-old golden city of Luxor: Workers covering a skeleton at the archaeological site. (Source: AFP)

A statement released by the excavation team on Facebook, said, “The Egyptian mission under Dr Zahi Hawass found the city that was lost under the sands,” said Thursday on Facebook. “The city is 3,000 years old, dates to the reign of Amenhotep III, and continued to be used by Tutankhamun and Ay,” it added.

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The ancient city is located on the west bank of the Nile river, as per the reports, close to the Colossi of Memnon, Medinet Habu and the Ramesseum, or mortuary temple of King Ramses II, all of which are popular tourist destinations.

3000-year-old golden city of Luxor: Display of artifacts uncovered at the site. (Source: AFP)

In September 2020, archaeologists in Egypt had been excavating in this area to look for a mortuary temple of King Tutankhamun, who is among the best-known figures from ancient Egypt. The legend of Tutankhamun, whose tomb was discovered almost intact in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 by British archaeologists Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, is famous on account of the vast treasure discovered at the location. It was packed with several thousands of objects spread out over four rooms. A stone sarcophagus held three coffins, the last of which was made out of solid gold and held the mummy of Tutankhamun.

An Associated Press report stated that, although their search was originally devoted to the famous ancient king, the archaeologists ended up discovering mud-brick formations “in all directions”, which eventually turned out to be a well-preserved city.

What have the archaeologists discovered?

While unearthing the city, archaeologists are said to have found city walls and even rooms filled with utensils used in everyday life. Clay caps of wine vessels, rings, scarabs, coloured pottery, and spinning and weaving tools were found, the AP report said.

3000-year-old golden city of Luxor: Workers carrying pots at the site. (Source: AFP)

Interestingly, some mud bricks discovered here bear the seal of Tutankhamun’s granfather King Amenhotep III, who is considered to be one of Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs.

Workers carrying a pot at the site. Reports said an inscription found there “says that this city was called: ‘The dazzling Aten.'” (Source: AFP)

According to a Reuters report, the site contains a large number of ovens and kilns for making glass and faience, along with the debris of thousands of statues. As per Egypt’s antiquities ministry, a bakery, ovens and storage pottery were found in the southern part of the city, while the northern part — which is yet to be fully unearthed — includes administrative and residential districts. The bakery is complete with ovens and vessels for storing food and bread, the size of which suggested that it catered to a large number of visitors.

3000-year-old golden city of Luxor: A fish covered in gold uncovered at the ancient city. (Source: AFP)

Unusual Discoveries

The researchers have also made some unusual discoveries, which they are unable to explain as yet, and which are still being studied. For example, they found two burial spots — of a cow and a bull — inside the rooms, the purpose of which is not immediately clear.

3000-year-old golden city of Luxor: A skeletal human remain discovered at the site. (Source: Reuters)

Also discovered, was the burial of a human being with arms stretched out to the side and the remains of a rope wrapped around the knees.

3000-year-old golden city of Luxor: A pot found with an inscription at the site. (Source: Reuters)

A more informative find has been that of a vessel containing 10kg of dried meat, which bore the inscription, “Year 37, dressed meat for the third Heb Sed festival from the slaughterhouse of the stockyard of Kha, made by the butcher luwy.” The city appears to have been abandoned about a year after this; the researchers hope to find out why.

So far, the mission has discovered a group of rock-cut tombs of different sizes that can be reached through stairs carved into the rock. A common feature of tomb construction in the Valley of the Kings and in the Valley of the Nobles. Work is underway and the mission expects to uncover untouched tombs filled with treasures.

This discovery has attracted frenzied attention from all over the world.