Archaeologists have unearthed of a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mining settlement hidden beneath the sands, known as the “Lost City of Gold”.
The long-lost city of Aten, near Luxor, was initially discovered in 2021, and at the time it was called one of the “most important archaeological finds since Tutankhamun’s tomb”.
Following years of work, the lost city has now been fully excavated. Experts suggest it could provide insights into ancient Egypt and offer a unique look at ancient gold extraction methods.
Aten was once a centre for gold extraction during the reign of Amenhotep III, one of Egypt’s most influential pharaohs, who ruled from 1391 to 1353 BC.
Excavations have uncovered an extensive, well-preserved settlement complete with grinding stations, filtration basins, and clay furnaces – evidence of a sophisticated multi-step process.
Among the discoveries were 628 inscribed ostraca – fragments of pottery and stone – which had inscriptions in hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek scripts
Archaeologists also found bronze coins from the Ptolemaic era, between 305 and 30 BC, indicating that the site remained operational for a long time.
The research team uncovered buildings, religious temples, and bathhouses within the ancient settlement.
They also dug up human and animal terracotta figurines and stone sculptures of deities, showcasing a society steeped in creativity and religious fervour.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said: “The project aligns with the [ministry’s] commitment to preserving Egypt’s rich heritage while supporting national development and economic initiatives.”
Dr Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, added: “The existence of grinding and filtration stations indicates that ancient Egyptians had mastered the process of separating gold from quartz.”
He said the discovery was important “in deepening our understanding of the mining techniques used by the ancient Egyptians to extract gold from rock”.
He added that it offered “valuable insights into the social, religious, and economic lives of gold miners in industrial desert settlements throughout history.”
