Photos show ancient Egyptian artifacts and skeletons found in a 'lost golden city' built by King Tut's grandfather

Aylin WoodwardApr 18, 2021, 18:24 IST

An ancient Egyptian artifact at the site of the newly discovered "lost golden city" in present-day Luxor.Hassan Mohamed/picture alliance via Getty Images

Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed a 3,400-year-old "lost golden city" in Luxor over the last seven months.
In 1935, a French excavation team searched for the city - which may be the largest ever built in Ancient Egypt - but never found it.
The city, named "tehn Aten," or the dazzling Aten, was built by Amenhotep III, King Tut's grandfather. He is considered the wealthiest Pharaoh who ever lived.
Photos from the site show colored pottery, scarab-beetle amulets, jewelry, wine caskets, mud bricks, and an ancient bakery. Only one-third of Aten has been uncovered so far.

On the banks of the Nile River, 300 miles south of Cairo, sits the city of Luxor. It's adjacent to Egypt's Valley of the Kings, where archaeologists discovered King Tutankhamen's tomb a century ago.

Former Egyptian minister of antiquities and archaeologist Zahi Hawass stands amongst the ruins of a newly discovered ancient city in Luxor, April 10, 2021. Fadel Dawood/picture alliance via Getty Images

On the banks of the Nile River, 300 miles south of Cairo, sits the city of Luxor. It's adjacent to Egypt's Valley of the Kings, where archaeologists discovered King Tutankhamen's tomb a century ago.

Hawass' team began searching an area of Luxor where Tut's successors, Ay and Horemheb, built their mortuary temples. But instead of Tut's temple, they uncovered an enormous, well-preserved metropolis.

Walls of an ancient city found in Luxor, Egypt, April 8, 2021. Zahi Hawass Center for Egyptology and High Council of Antiquities via Reuters

Hawass' team began searching an area of Luxor where Tut's successors, Ay and Horemheb, built their mortuary temples. But instead of Tut's temple, they uncovered an enormous, well-preserved metropolis.

Amenhotep III was King Tut's grandfather, and "the wealthiest Pharaoh who ever lived," according to Betsy Bryan, an Egyptologist from Johns Hopkins University.

The funerary mask of Tutankhamen, or King Tut, in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Roland Unger/Wikimedia Commons

Archaeologists knew the Pharaoh had funneled some of his riches into building a city in this area of Egypt: "This is a place we knew existed," Bryan said. But its precise location had eluded diggers for almost a century.

Egyptian excavation workers stand in front of the ruins of the newly discovered "lost golden city" in Luxor. Fadel Dawood/picture alliance via Getty

Archaeologists knew the Pharaoh had funneled some of his riches into building a city in this area of Egypt: "This is a place we knew existed," Bryan said. But its precise location had eluded diggers for almost a century.

In 1934 and 1935, a French excavation team searched Luxor for the "lost golden city" but came up empty, Hawass said.

The Colossi of Memnon in Luxor, May 18, 2015. Wikimedia Commons

The lost city, it turns out, was located to the south and west of Amenhotep III's mortuary temple.

Workers carry a fish covered in gold found in Luxor, April 10, 2021. Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images

In addition to the city's size, Hawass said, "the huge amount of artifacts" his team uncovered there makes this an unprecedented archaeological find.

Egyptian excavation workers prepare to display ancient Egyptian artifacts like pottery vessels found in Luxor. Fadel Dawood/picture alliance via Getty Images

The city's streets are flanked with buildings, some of which have walls 9 feet tall.

A new archaeological discovery is seen in Luxor, Egypt, April 8, 2021. Zahi Hawass Center for Egyptology and High Council of Antiquities via Reuters

Hawass' excavation team also found a large cemetery north of the city.

An Egyptian excavation worker removes a cover from a skeleton found at the "lost golden city" in present-day Luxor. Fadel Dawood/picture alliance via Getty Images

In one part of the cemetery, the diggers found a grave holding a skeleton with a rope wrapped around its knees.

A skeleton uncovered at the "lost golden city" in present-day Luxor. Zahi Hawass Center for Egyptology and High Council of Antiquities via Reuters

The city seems to be divided into industrial and residential areas. In the south, archaeologists found an ancient bakery with a cooking and meal-preparation area, ovens, and pottery used for storing food.

Egyptian excavation workers carry pottery vessels into storage. Hassan Mohamed/picture alliance via Getty Images

The city seems to be divided into industrial and residential areas. In the south, archaeologists found an ancient bakery with a cooking and meal-preparation area, ovens, and pottery used for storing food.

Nearby the cemetery, Hawass' team found a piece of pottery containing 22 pounds of dried meat, likely from a butcher at a slaughterhouse.

Egyptian excavation workers prepare to display ancient Egyptian artifacts ahead of a press conference on April 10, 2021. Fadel Dawood/picture alliance via Getty Images

The city dwellers were skilled craftsmen, Bryan said - they made fancy ceramic vessels, glassware, and temple decorations in the name of Amenhotep III.

A scarab-beetle amulet and other amulets discovered in the "lost golden city" at Luxor. Zahi Hawass Center for Egyptology and High Council of Antiquities via Reuters

Hawass' team also uncovered scarab-beetle amulets, rings, and wine caskets in the city.

Rings of blue stone found in the "lost golden city" in Luxor. Fadel Dawood/picture alliance via Getty Images

After taking over from his father, Akhenaten - King Tut's father - briefly lived in Aten. Then he moved 250 miles north to a city called Amarna, along with his people. That's where King Tut was born.

An ancient pottery vessel discovered in Luxor, Egypt. Zahi Hawass Center for Egyptology and High Council of Antiquities via Reuters

After taking over from his father, Akhenaten - King Tut's father - briefly lived in Aten. Then he moved 250 miles north to a city called Amarna, along with his people. That's where King Tut was born.

According to Hawass, Akhenaten fled to Amarna and built that city to escape the priests of Amon, who were displeased that their Pharaoh was worshipping a different god than their own.

Temple of the Aten in Amarna, Egypt. Wikimedia Commons

According to Hawass, Akhenaten fled to Amarna and built that city to escape the priests of Amon, who were displeased that their Pharaoh was worshipping a different god than their own.

Hawass said there's plenty more to find of the "lost golden city," since only one-third of it has been uncovered so far.

Former Egyptian minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass speaks during a press conference on the newly discovered "lost golden city" in Luxor, April 10, 2021. Hassan Mohamed/picture alliance via Getty Images

How to make sure the CDC knows about your COVID-19 vaccine side effects

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Photos show ancient Egyptian artifacts and skeletons found in a 'lost golden city' built by King Tut's grandfather

On the banks of the Nile River, 300 miles south of Cairo, sits the city of Luxor. It's adjacent to Egypt's Valley of the Kings, where archaeologists discovered King Tutankhamen's tomb a century ago.

Hawass' team began searching an area of Luxor where Tut's successors, Ay and Horemheb, built their mortuary temples. But instead of Tut's temple, they uncovered an enormous, well-preserved metropolis.

Amenhotep III was King Tut's grandfather, and "the wealthiest Pharaoh who ever lived," according to Betsy Bryan, an Egyptologist from Johns Hopkins University.

Archaeologists knew the Pharaoh had funneled some of his riches into building a city in this area of Egypt: "This is a place we knew existed," Bryan said. But its precise location had eluded diggers for almost a century.

In 1934 and 1935, a French excavation team searched Luxor for the "lost golden city" but came up empty, Hawass said.

The lost city, it turns out, was located to the south and west of Amenhotep III's mortuary temple.

In addition to the city's size, Hawass said, "the huge amount of artifacts" his team uncovered there makes this an unprecedented archaeological find.

The city's streets are flanked with buildings, some of which have walls 9 feet tall.

Hawass' excavation team also found a large cemetery north of the city.

In one part of the cemetery, the diggers found a grave holding a skeleton with a rope wrapped around its knees.

The city seems to be divided into industrial and residential areas. In the south, archaeologists found an ancient bakery with a cooking and meal-preparation area, ovens, and pottery used for storing food.

Nearby the cemetery, Hawass' team found a piece of pottery containing 22 pounds of dried meat, likely from a butcher at a slaughterhouse.

The city dwellers were skilled craftsmen, Bryan said - they made fancy ceramic vessels, glassware, and temple decorations in the name of Amenhotep III.

Hawass' team also uncovered scarab-beetle amulets, rings, and wine caskets in the city.

After taking over from his father, Akhenaten - King Tut's father - briefly lived in Aten. Then he moved 250 miles north to a city called Amarna, along with his people. That's where King Tut was born.

According to Hawass, Akhenaten fled to Amarna and built that city to escape the priests of Amon, who were displeased that their Pharaoh was worshipping a different god than their own.

Hawass said there's plenty more to find of the "lost golden city," since only one-third of it has been uncovered so far.