The recently discovered Egyptian city that rivals Pompeii

Suspended in time

In April 2021 an all-Egyptian archaeology team, led by Dr Zahi Hawass, announced they’d unearthed a 3,000-year-old ancient Egyptian metropolis called Aten on the western bank of the Nile in Luxor. The find is so significant it's been likened to the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, while its incredible state of preservation (coupled with the fact that it was abandoned in a hurry) has seen it dubbed 'Egypt's Pompeii'. The site continues to throw up fascinating new insights, and fully excavating its treasures may take decades.

Click through this gallery to uncover everything you need to know about this extraordinary lost city...

Fascinating foundations

Dating back to the reign of Amenhotep III, who ruled over Egypt between 1391 and 1353 BC, Aten is the largest ancient Egyptian city ever found. It was part of a grand palatial complex built for the pharaoh.

Strikingly well-preserved

The most impressive part of the find is how well-preserved it is. In the residential area of the city it’s possible to see houses that have kept their 10-foot-high (3m) walls.

These are made from mud bricks bearing Amenhotep’s seal, which is how the town was dated to his reign. The rooms were also filled with tools of everyday life, from coloured pottery vessels to pots of meat.

A prosperous period

Amenhotep’s reign came during the peak of the Egyptian empire and was a prosperous time when a great number of temples and lavish public buildings were constructed.

The discovery of Aten could give an insight into what life was like during this wealthy period. Pictured here is lead archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawass among the ruins.

An important settlement

Aten wasn’t just any ordinary city. According to the archaeologists, it was a huge industrial and administrative centre – essentially the capital of Egypt at the time.

No wonder its name in hieroglyphics means 'The Dazzling Aten'.

A fascinating inscription

Archaeologists discovered a pot bearing an inscription which they dated to 1337 BC. It’s thought that one year after the pot was made, the city was hastily abandoned, because a new capital (Akhetaten) was established at Amarna in the north of the country. 

Aten rapidly fell into obscurity.

Intriguing artefacts

The site was littered with objects and artefacts which made it look almost as if it had been abandoned yesterday.

These included jewellery, pottery, statuettes and clay caps from wine vessels, as well as an array of tools for weaving, spinning and glass-making. 

Different neighbourhoods

Several different neighbourhoods have been identified, including a bakery, an administrative quarter and housing areas.

On top of this, archaeologists have found no fewer than three palaces. 

Signs of industry

In the bakery, workers at the site found well-preserved areas for cooking and food preparation – complete with ovens, various tools and pots like the one seen here. Loaves of bread were even found inside the ovens.

The size of the area and the quantity of artefacts suggest that the bakery catered to a large number of people.

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Unsavoury discoveries

Being an archaeologist is far from glamorous. Among the more off-putting foodie finds was a 3,400-year-old container full of what is believed to be dried or boiled meat.

There was also a fish covered with gold (pictured) at the site, which may have been an object of veneration.

Scary skeletons

It’s not uncommon to find human remains at sites like these, but one skeleton in particular puzzled archaeologists.

Discovered with its arms outstretched and a rope tied around its knees, the team described the location and position of the skeleton as "rather odd" in a statement, and added that further investigations were needed.

Mass cemetery

Workers have also dug up a large cemetery and tombs similar to those found in the Valley of the Kings.

These are yet to be fully explored, and it's hoped that ongoing excavations will shed light on their inhabitants and their lives.

Later uses

After its initial abandonment, the city is thought to have been used later by Tutankhamun. It was also inhabited by Ay, who took the throne after marrying King Tut’s widow.

It’s believed the city was used right up until the 7th century AD, when it was abandoned for the final time.

More to be found

The find was instrumental in Minya, where the site sits, being declared a "Capital of Egyptian Culture" in 2025. And yet the team knows they have only scratched the surface of the site.

Further excavations are underway, with Dr Hawass stating that the team "expects to uncover untouched tombs filled with treasures". That may be true, but it's hard not to be impressed by all that's been found in this incredible lost city already.

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