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Despite decades of archaeological research, a number of famous ancient cities mentioned in historical texts have never been located. Their existence is confirmed by written sources and artifacts that have surfaced on the black market, suggesting that some of these cities may have been looted by marauders who deliberately concealed their locations, LiveScience reports.
Irisagrig
One such city is Irisagrig, which flourished in what is now Iraq around 4,000 years ago. It became known to scholars after thousands of cuneiform tablets appeared on the antiquities market following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The tablets describe rulers’ palaces, the keeping of lions, and a temple dedicated to the god Enki where festivals were held. Archaeologists believe the city was looted during the period of military conflict, but its exact location remains unknown.
Itjtawy
Another lost city is Itjtawy, the capital of Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Amenemhat I. It remained the political center of the kingdom until the Hyksos conquered northern Egypt around 1640 BCE.
Although the city has never been found, scholars believe it was located near Lisht in central Egypt, based on elite burials and the pyramid of Amenemhat I discovered in the area.
Akkad
The capital of the Akkadian Empire, Akkad (or Agade), also remains undiscovered. The city was the heart of an empire that, between roughly 2350 and 2150 BCE, stretched from the Persian Gulf to Anatolia.
Ancient sources indicate that Akkad declined along with the empire. Researchers believe it was located somewhere in present-day Iraq, but no definitive archaeological evidence has yet been identified.
Al-Yahudu
Al-Yahudu was a settlement of Jewish exiles in the Babylonian Empire, established after the conquest of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II in 587 BCE.
The city is known from around 200 cuneiform tablets showing that the exiles preserved their religious identity. Its precise location has not been established, and it is likely that it was discovered by looters before archaeologists could document it.
Washukanni
Washukanni was the capital of the Mitanni Empire, which existed between about 1550 and 1300 BCE. As the state lost territory under pressure from the Hittites and Assyrians, its capital disappeared from history.
The city has never been found, though researchers suspect it may have been located in northeastern modern-day Syria. The empire’s population consisted largely of Hurrians, whose language is known from written sources.
Thinis
Thinis (also known as Tjenu) was one of the earliest centers of ancient Egypt. According to the historian Manetho, the first pharaohs ruled from there during the unification of the country around 5,000 years ago.
Later, the capital was moved to Memphis, and Thinis became a regional administrative center. The city has never been conclusively identified, though scholars believe it was located near Abydos in southern Egypt.
