Zahi Hawass on archaeology: what the evidence says · JRE #2321
SUBJECT: ARCHAEOLOGY
Not a true/false call. Every claim is logged with its sources; read the exhibits below.
Like I discovered the Golden City. It's a major, big, large cemetery, large settlement, a city. And you know, this city was chosen the most important discovery in the world of year 2021 because this is the first time that we have a big, large city to tell us about the people who made this civilization.
What the evidence says 01 / RECORD
In April 2021 an Egyptian mission led by Zahi Hawass announced the discovery of a large, well-preserved city near Luxor on the Nile's west bank, named the Rise of Aten and dating to the reign of Amenhotep III (roughly 1391 to 1353 BC). National Geographic and Smithsonian both attribute the find to Hawass and describe it as one of the most significant Egyptian archaeological finds in a century, with experts calling it the second most important discovery since Tutankhamun's tomb and comparing its preservation to an Egyptian Pompeii. Hawass's characterization of it as the first large city revealing the daily lives of the people of this era is consistent with how specialists framed its value. His phrase 'most important discovery in the world of year 2021' refers specifically to a top-discovery designation by Archaeology Magazine in December 2021, so the ranking is a magazine editorial pick rather than a universal ranking, but the underlying discovery and its scale and attribution are accurate.
Evidence sources 03 / EXHIBITS
Who Benefits
Hawass leads the excavation mission credited with the Golden City find and is a high-profile figure whose lectures and public appearances trade on such discoveries, giving him a personal stake in emphasizing his role.