“The Rise of Aten”: Egypt unearthed a 3000-year-old “lost city”

Egyptian archaeologists discovered a 3000 year old “lost city” buried under the sand in Luxor, home to the famous Valley of the Kings on the banks of the Nile, which would be the last wonder of the Pharaonic era to be discovered as the country seeks to revive its tourism industry.

The city, known as “The Rise of Aten”, it dates from the reign of Amenhotep III, which began around 1390 BC. VS., and was then used by his successors, including Tutankhamun, according to a statement from the Egyptian mission that made the discovery.

“The discovery of this lost city is the second most important archaeological find since Tutankhamun’s tomb,” he said in the statement. Betsy Bryan, Professor of Egyptian Art and Archeology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

The city offers “a rare glimpse into the life of the ancient Egyptians at the height of the empire,” he said.

The announcement comes less than a week after Egypt staged a grand parade to move 22 royal mummies to a new Cairo museum that celebrates the country’s ancient heritage. The procession, which included trucks adorned with pharaonic designs, was carefully choreographed to boost interest in Egypt’s important tourism industry, which has been hit by the pandemic.

Excavations by a team led by Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass They started work in September 2020 and quickly found a large, well-preserved city, with intact walls, a bakery and ovens, tombs and rooms full of tools, as well as rings, beetles and colorful pottery. .

The mission was carried out in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Historical documents suggest that the colony consisted of three royal palaces owned by King Amenhotep III, as well as the administrative and industrial center of the empire. The mud bricks with the seal of the pharaoh confirmed the dating of the city.

Further work on the site could help explain what Bryan described as one of the greatest mysteries of the time: Why did Amenhotep III’s son Akhenaton and his wife Nefertiti move the dynasty capital to a new location in Amarna?

In the last quarter of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic reduced tourism revenue to $ 801 million, from $ 4.2 billion in the same quarter a year earlier, according to the central bank.