Archaeologists Unearth 3,000-Year-Old City Beneath Saharan Sands

A joint team of archaeologists from seven universities has uncovered the remains of a substantial urban settlement buried beneath the sand dunes of the central Sahara — already described as one of the most significant archaeological finds of the century.

The site covers an estimated twelve square kilometres and contains the foundations of hundreds of structures, including administrative buildings, granaries, and a sophisticated water management system.

Dating of organic material places its period of occupation at approximately 1,100 to 800 BCE — a period when the Sahara was significantly more fertile than today.

“This changes our understanding of the scale and complexity of civilisation in this part of Africa during the Bronze Age,” said the lead archaeologist.