On April 8th, 2021, it was announced Zahi Hawass as the Egyptologist who discovered what is known as the “lost golden city” in Egypt, allowing more exploration and understanding of the lives of ancient pharaohs. In that manner, this city (Aten), which is located near Luxor, is approximately 3400 years old. For multiple years, this city has been lost to the sands, but has been recovered starting in September 2020 through the process of unearthing.
Initially, Hawass and his team of archaeologists were attempting to find Tutankhamen’s Mortuary Temple. However, instead they found a series of mud walls that are about ten feet tall in height, in a pattern of a zig zag. This is a huge discovery as many archaeologists previously had attempted to find this city and have failed greatly. It has even been said that this may be the biggest archaeological discovery since the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922.
In terms of the historical significance behind the city of Aten, this city in particular dates back to the reign of the one of Egypt's most influential pharaohs, named Amenhotep III. He ruled from 1391 to 1353, respectively. Other pharaohs were among this city as well, including both Tutankhamun and Ay. In this way, discovering this city gives us a glimpse into the life under the rule of the wealthy and powerful. This gives us a glimpse into this city’s golden age. Digging of this area revealed multiple archaeological findings, including pottery, amulets, jewelry, grinding stones, ovens and architectural mud bricks. These items and numerous more were for the most part intact and give us a glimpse at the technology utilized during this time period in this particular city. These items also helped archaeologists determine the time period in which people lived and utilized this city of Aten. Even a bakery and residential area have been revealed in decent condition considering how many years it’s been since this city has been covered and lost in the sand. They even found a buried skeleton which is still yet to be investigated. Yet, nevertheless, archaeologists are continually searching this city for tombs and additional information regarding the lives of ancient pharaohs. For “you never know what the sand of Egypt might hide” (as stated by Hawass).
Comentários