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.”