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Egypt announces discovery of major archaeological city in Luxor

Egypt announced the discovery of an ancient city in Luxor in southern Egypt dating back 3,000 years. It is believed to be the second-most important archaeological discovery since Tutankhamun’s tomb.

A picture taken on April 10, 2021, shows workers carrying a fish covered in gold uncovered at the archaeological site of a 3000-year-old city, dubbed The Rise of Aten, dating to the reign of Amenhotep III, uncovered by the Egyptian mission near Luxor.
A picture taken on April 10, 2021, shows workers carrying a fish covered in gold uncovered at the archaeological site of a 3000-year-old city, dubbed The Rise of Aten, dating to the reign of Amenhotep III, uncovered by the Egyptian mission near Luxor. — KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images

CAIRO — An Egyptian mission led by former Minister of Antiquities Zahi Hawass, and jointly between the Zahi Hawass Center for Egyptology affiliated with Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Supreme Council of Antiquities affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, announced on April 8 the discovery of the largest archaeological city found in Egypt. 

The city, dubbed the “Lost Golden City” or “The Rise of Aten,” was unearthed in the west of Luxor city in south Egypt.

In a Facebook post, Hawass wrote, “Founded by one of the greatest rulers of Egypt, King Amenhotep III, the ninth king of the 18th dynasty who ruled Egypt from 1391 till 1353 B.C, this city was active during the great king’s co-regency with his son, the famous Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten,” adding that the city continued to be used by Amenhotep III’s grandson Tutankhamun and then his successor, King Ay.

He continued, “[The city] was the largest administrative and industrial settlement in the era of the Egyptian empire on the western bank of Luxor. The city’s streets are flanked by houses, and some of their walls are up to 3 meters high.”

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