3000-year-old ‘lost golden city’ of Luxor, discovered by Egypt archaeologists, has bakery, cemetry and more

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.