LUXOR: Archaeologists near Luxor have unearthed just a portion of the “largest” ancient city ever found in Egypt and dating to a golden pharaonic age 3,000 years ago, officials said Saturday.
Famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass had announced earlier this week the discovery of the “lost golden city,” saying the site was uncovered near Luxor, home of the legendary Valley of the Kings.
“We found one portion of the city only. But the city extends to the west and the north,” Hawass told AFP Saturday ahead of a press conference in the archaeologically rich area.
Betsy Bryan, professor of Egyptian art and archaeology at Johns Hopkins University, had said the find was the “second most important archaeological discovery since the tomb of Tutankhamun” nearly a century ago, according to the excavation team’s statement on Thursday.
Items of jewelry have been unearthed, along with colored pottery vessels, scarab beetle amulets and mud bricks bearing seals of Amenhotep III.
The team began excavations in September between the temples of Ramses III and Amenhotep III near Luxor, some 500 kilometers (300 miles) south of Cairo.
Amenhotep III inherited an empire that stretched from the Euphrates River in modern Iraq and Syria to Sudan and died around 1354 BC, ancient historians say.
He ruled for nearly four decades, a reign known for its opulence and the grandeur of its monuments, including the Colossi of Memnon — two massive stone statues near Luxor that represent him and his wife.
“It’s not only a city — we can see... economic activity, workshops and ovens,” Mostafa Waziri, head of the country’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said Saturday.
Since the announcement, some scholars have disputed that Hawass and his team have succeeded where others had failed by locating the city.
Egyptologist Tarek Farag posted Friday on Facebook that the area was first excavated more than a century ago by a team from New York’s Metropolitan Museum.
But Waziri dismissed these concerns, saying previous digs had taken place further afield to the south the site.
Egypt to unveil ‘portion’ of 3,000-year old city
https://arab.news/2426m
Egypt to unveil ‘portion’ of 3,000-year old city
- Famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass had announced earlier this week the discovery of the “lost golden city”
- Items of jewelry have been unearthed, along with colored pottery vessels, scarab beetle amulets and mud bricks
Review: ‘Roofman’ Movie
- The film follows Jeff, a man on the run, living out of sight inside a Toys “R” Us store, and constantly improvising his survival
I went into “Roofman” with no expectations, and that turned out to be the best possible way to experience the 2025 comedy-drama based on a true story.
Gripping and unexpectedly moving, it is one of those rare character-driven stories that stays with you long after the credits roll.
Channing Tatum delivers what may well be the strongest performance of his career. Stripped of the bravado he is often known for, Tatum plays Jeffrey Manchester — a former US army veteran and struggling dad who turns to a life of crime — with a raw vulnerability that feels lived-in rather than performed.
His portrayal balances charm, desperation and weariness in a way that makes the character both flawed and sympathetic. It is the kind of performance that reminds you how effective he can be when handed a script that trusts stillness as much as spectacle.
The film follows Jeff, a man on the run, living out of sight inside a Toys “R” Us store, and constantly improvising his survival. Without giving anything away, “Roofman” unfolds as a tense cat-and-mouse story, but one that resists becoming purely a thriller.
The pacing is deliberate and assured, allowing moments of humor, warmth and connection to surface naturally amid the suspense.
What “Roofman” does exceptionally well is maintain an undercurrent of unease. Even in its lighter, more playful moments, there is a persistent sense of claustrophobia and impending doom.
The script understands that tension does not always rise from action; sometimes it is born simply from the fear of being seen. “Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage’s flawless portrayal of the store’s stern and authoritarian manager sharpens that anxiety.
Kirsten Dunst brings a grounded, affecting presence to the story, offering moments of tenderness and emotional clarity that deepen its human core. Her character anchors Jeff’s world with something real to reach for.
Despite its thrills, “Roofman” is ultimately a reflective film that asks, without judgment, how people arrive at the decisions that shape their lives, and why some feel trapped into making the wrong ones.
Underrated and surprisingly heartfelt, “Roofman” is a reminder that some of the most compelling stories are about the resilience of hope even when the odds are stacked against you.
