Integrated ancient city uncovered in Karnak, dating back to 2000 BC
A joint Egyptian-French mission has uncovered the oldest city and settlement dating back to the Middle Kingdom in the archaeological area of the Karnak Temple.
This discovery was made during excavation work in the temple area.
The excavations revealed a complete city in the far southeastern corner of the temple, dating back to the period 2050-1710 BC.
This is the second discovery this year in the same area.
Archaeological sources at the Karnak Temple confirmed that the discovered city lies between the ancient mud-brick wall built by King Thutmose III of the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom), and the massive wall surrounding the Karnak temple complex, which dates back to the reign of King Nectanebo I of the 30th Dynasty.
Restoration work
On the sidelines of his visit to Luxor, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail Khaled inspected the restoration and rehabilitation project of the 'southern chapels' of the Temple of Akhmenu in the Karnak Temple complex.
Khaled said that the restoration work on the Akhmenu complex included cleaning, structural and meticulous restoration, as well as complete documentation of the inscriptions and religious scenes.
During his stay in Luxor Governorate, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities also inspected the work being carried out by several Egyptian missions affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities at several archaeological sites.
These included the Egyptian mission's excavation site in al-Asasif area in Qurna, and the excavation site of the Egyptian archaeological mission in Nagaa Abu-Asaba area in Karnak.
He explained that the mission was able to uncover a group of small wooden children's coffins in the al-Asasif area, most of which were in a very poor state of preservation.
All coffins were devoid of inscriptions or writing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Egypt Independent
a day ago
- Egypt Independent
Integrated ancient city uncovered in Karnak, dating back to 2000 BC
A joint Egyptian-French mission has uncovered the oldest city and settlement dating back to the Middle Kingdom in the archaeological area of the Karnak Temple. This discovery was made during excavation work in the temple area. The excavations revealed a complete city in the far southeastern corner of the temple, dating back to the period 2050-1710 BC. This is the second discovery this year in the same area. Archaeological sources at the Karnak Temple confirmed that the discovered city lies between the ancient mud-brick wall built by King Thutmose III of the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom), and the massive wall surrounding the Karnak temple complex, which dates back to the reign of King Nectanebo I of the 30th Dynasty. Restoration work On the sidelines of his visit to Luxor, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail Khaled inspected the restoration and rehabilitation project of the 'southern chapels' of the Temple of Akhmenu in the Karnak Temple complex. Khaled said that the restoration work on the Akhmenu complex included cleaning, structural and meticulous restoration, as well as complete documentation of the inscriptions and religious scenes. During his stay in Luxor Governorate, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities also inspected the work being carried out by several Egyptian missions affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities at several archaeological sites. These included the Egyptian mission's excavation site in al-Asasif area in Qurna, and the excavation site of the Egyptian archaeological mission in Nagaa Abu-Asaba area in Karnak. He explained that the mission was able to uncover a group of small wooden children's coffins in the al-Asasif area, most of which were in a very poor state of preservation. All coffins were devoid of inscriptions or writing.
Watani
a day ago
- Watani
Pope Tawadros II receives HOPE servants
Pope Tawadros II received on 7 June 2025 the servants of the HOPE Organization at the Papal Residence in Cairo, who are on service week in Egypt. The Pope spoke to them about the depth of spiritual service, the blessing it bestows on the soul, and its lasting impact on the life of the servant. He presented each servant with a HIGH Office Passport. At the end of the meeting, commemorative photos were taken with joy in front of Saint Mark's Cathedral in Abbassia. The meeting was attended by Metropolitan Youssef of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern United States of America, along with Bishop Basil and Bishop Gregory, general bishops of the same diocese. He gifted each of them with a HIGH Office Shield. The service visit by HOPE Organization to Egypt was coordinated with the HIGH Office, which is responsible for facilitating communication between Coptic Church dioceses outside Egypt and the areas most in need of service within the dioceses of Egypt. The office was established by a decision of the Holy Synod in March 2024. The name 'HIGH' is an acronym for 'Hands in God's Hand'. H.O.P.E. is the social services arm of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern US. Established under the auspices of Bishop Youssef, H.O.P.E. serves Christians in need around the world. The service is financed purely by donations, and all services are performed by volunteer workers so that 100 per cent of each donation goes towards helping those in need. Services in Egypt include aid for underserved Egyptian families, adult education and literacy classes, aiding couples planning marriage with their new homes, and helping the elderly. In Sudan, three buses were operated to evacuate people outside the war-torn country; in Botswana, families were provided with bathrooms; addicts were helped rehabilitate; and persons with disability were cared for. In Ethiopia Kenya and other places such as Syria, Thailand, and Lebanon, food was distributed in disaster ares and orphans were given much needed care. Comments comments Tags: Basma NasserPope Tawadros HOPE organization
CairoScene
a day ago
- CairoScene
Sharm El-Sheikh Joins Global ICLEI Network as Egypt's First Green City
Sharm El-Sheikh launched 39 sustainability projects, including solar and green transport initiatives. Jun 09, 2025 Sharm El-Sheikh has officially joined ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability – becoming the first city in Egypt to be part of the international network dedicated to sustainable urban development. This step recognises the city's progress in implementing environmental reforms since 2018, when it hosted the UN Biodiversity Conference, and more recently, the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27). As part of preparations for COP27, nearly 39 environmental projects were carried out under presidential directives to transform Sharm El-Sheikh into a comprehensive green city. These included infrastructure upgrades such as 145 kilometres of bike lanes, the introduction of a public bike-sharing system, and the expansion of electric and solar-powered public transport. Renewable energy investments reached EGP 800 million, resulting in a solar power production capacity of 51 megawatts. Community-led waste management programmes were also introduced to encourage recycling and reduce overall consumption. Preservation efforts have extended to Ras Mohammed National Park, where biodiversity protection programmes are being updated to safeguard over 3,000 marine species. Behavioural change has also been identified as key to the city's green transformation, with public campaigns promoting reduced resource use and wider adoption of clean energy. While Sharm El-Sheikh is the first Egyptian city to join ICLEI, El-Kharga in the New Valley Governorate was previously recognised as a green city by the Arab League. Egypt's broader sustainability strategy is expected to bring more cities into international sustainability networks in the near future.
