Ancient Pharaoh’s tomb found in Egypt after 3,600 years

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Archaeologists have discovered the tomb of an unknown ancient Egyptian pharaoh near Abydos, a historic city in Egypt.

The limestone burial chamber, about 23 feet underground, dates back around 3,600 years to a period of unrest known as the Second Intermediate Period.

The tomb was found at the Anubis Mountain necropolis by experts from the University of Pennsylvania Museum and Egyptian archaeologists.

The burial site had been plundered long ago, and the king’s name, which was once inscribed in hieroglyphics at the entrance, was erased by tomb robbers.

Professor Josef Wegner, an Egyptian archaeology expert from the University of Pennsylvania, said the lost name may belong to kings Senaiib or Paentjeni, who ruled during this time.

Their tombs have never been found.

"The political history of this era is fascinating and not fully understood,” Wegner said.

The tomb’s entrance was decorated with images of the sister goddesses Isis and Nephthys and inside, the burial chamber had several rooms with high mud-brick vaults.

The site is linked to the Abydos Dynasty, a group of kings who ruled Upper Egypt during a fragmented period when rival kingdoms, including the Hyksos, controlled parts of the Nile Delta.

The tomb is part of a larger complex built by Neferhotep I, a powerful pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom. It may be the oldest and largest tomb of the Abydos Dynasty.

In 2014, Wegner’s team discovered the tomb of another Abydos ruler, Seneb-Kay. He believes the new tomb may belong to a predecessor of Seneb-Kay. The team is continuing their work in the area.

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