The royal city and palace complex of King Amenhotep III (1391-1353 B.C.), one of the longest ruling pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty, was excavated between 1971 and 1977 by University Museum Egyptian Section Curator David O'Connor and Cambridge University Egyptologist Barry Kemp. The site consists of a number of residential and ceremonial structures, including a temple to Amun and at least four palaces. To the east of the complex stood a vast artificial harbor and canal, while the earth removed in antiquity during the excavation of the harbor was used to create a series of man-made hills along the southwestern shore. The artificial harbor is the largest known in ancient Egypt.