Egyptian archaeologists have completed a two-year excavation and preservation project at Jabal Sukari near the Red Sea, revealing a vast 3,000-year-old gold mining complex.
The site, now threatened by modern mining activities, was extensively studied by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities before key structures were relocated for protection.
The excavation uncovered a sophisticated gold extraction facility, including grinding and crushing stations, filtration basins, and clay smelting furnaces. Adjacent to the industrial area, researchers discovered a settlement with workshops, administrative buildings, temples, and baths.
Inscriptions in hieroglyphs, Demotic, and Greek suggest a diverse working community once inhabited the site.
To safeguard the site’s legacy, fragile structures were relocated two miles from the active mining zone, and a full-scale replica has been constructed to attract tourists. The discoveries provide new insights into ancient gold production techniques and the daily lives of the workers who powered Egypt’s mining industry thousands of years ago.
