After years of meticulous excavation, archaeologists in Egypt have fully uncovered the “Lost City of Gold,” a 3,000-year-old mining settlement that had remained hidden beneath the sands of Luxor’s Valley of the Kings.
Officially known as Aten, this once-thriving hub of gold extraction is now being hailed as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries since the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Situated at Jabal Sukari, southwest of Marsa Alam in the Red Sea Governorate, Aten dates back to the reign of Amenhotep III, who ruled Egypt from 1391 to 1353 BC. The site offers a rare glimpse into the gold-mining industry of ancient Egypt, shedding light on the techniques used to extract and refine gold during one of the nation’s most prosperous eras.
The structures of the city have been remarkably well-preserved, surprising experts with the intact remains of homes, temples, administrative buildings, workshops, and bathhouses. Among the most extraordinary findings is a fully equipped gold extraction facility, which includes crushing and grinding stations, filtration basins, sedimentation pools, and smelting furnaces used to refine gold from quartz veins. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities revealed that the project involved not only excavation and documentation but also the careful restoration of architectural elements. To protect these discoveries from modern mining operations in the area, many of the elements were relocated three kilometers north of their original site.
Although Aten was primarily a gold-mining settlement from the time of Amenhotep III, excavations revealed artifacts spanning multiple historical periods, including the Roman and Islamic eras. Among the discoveries were 628 ostraca inscribed with hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek texts, as well as bronze coins from the Ptolemaic period. Other notable finds included terracotta figurines of humans and animals from the Greco-Roman period, small stone statues of Bastet and Harpocrates, Ptolemaic offering tables, and pottery used for daily life, perfumes, medicine, and incense. Additionally, the team unearthed a collection of gemstone beads and decorative items crafted from seashells. These findings suggest that Aten remained a multicultural and multilingual city for centuries, playing a crucial role in supplying gold to Egyptian dynasties for adorning their palaces, tombs, and temples.
The discovery of Aten provides a deeper understanding of ancient Egyptian mining techniques and the daily lives of workers in industrial settlements across the Eastern Desert. The findings offer insight into the social, religious, and economic aspects of mining communities that thrived throughout different historical periods.
Archaeologist Zahi Hawass, who led the excavation, described the moment the team first realized what they had uncovered. “Within weeks, to the team’s great surprise, formations of mud bricks began to appear in all directions. What they unearthed was the site of a large city in a good condition of preservation, with almost complete walls and rooms filled with tools of daily life.”
To ensure the preservation of this remarkable discovery, authorities have restored, documented, and relocated key architectural elements to a secure location. A full-scale replica of the mining camp has also been constructed over a six-acre area, complete with a visitor center featuring large display screens that showcase the excavation process. The exhibit includes statues, pottery, and other unearthed artifacts, along with informational panels detailing the history of Aten and its significance in Egypt’s ancient gold-mining industry.
With the Lost City of Gold now open to researchers and the public, this extraordinary site continues to reveal invaluable details about Egypt’s rich history. As further studies take place, Aten promises to deepen our understanding of the civilization’s mining expertise, economic structures, and the lives of the people who worked in these settlements.