Archaeologists Found a Hidden Tomb That Reveals a Lost Egyptian Dynasty
Researchers discovered a royal tomb that is over 3,600 years old in Abydos, Egypt.
The entryway of the tomb was decorated with inscriptions dedicated to Isis and Nephthys, goddesses of the afterlife.
Archaeologists are hopeful that this discovery could shed some new light on the 'lost' Abydos Dynasty.
The Abydos Dynasty ruled over Upper Egypt some time between 1700 B.C. and 1600 B.C.—if it even existed. For years, archaeologists have debated if it ever actually did, and it's so poorly documented that it's often known as the 'lost dynasty.' But new research from the Anubis Mountain necropolis might change that. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities just announced the discovery of a 3,600-year-old royal tomb that may have a connection to the lost dynasty.
The expedition was led by a team of researchers from University of Pennsylvania, who believe that the tomb's owner reigned during the Second Intermediate Period. The tomb was approximately 7 meters (23 feet) below the surface, and featured a limestone burial chamber with mud-brick vaults. The burial chamber reached 5 meters (16.5 feet) high.
At the entryway of the tomb, researchers discovered golden bands of hieroglyphs that likely bore the king's name, although his identity is still unknown. The entryway is also decorated with inscriptions for the goddesses Isis and Nephthys, both goddesses associated with mourning and the afterlife.
Mohamed Abdel Badie—head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities—noted that the pharaoh's tomb is much larger than other tombs attributed to the Abydos Dynasty. He claims that the pharaoh could have been a predecessor of King Senebkay, who ruled some time between 1650 B.C. and 1600 B.C. Joseph Wager, head of the mission, said that the newly-discovered tomb has a decorative style similar to that of Senebkay's tomb (originally discovered in 2014, and another key piece of evidence from the Abydos Dynasty).
Senebkay and the mystery king are just two of many figureheads who were buried in the Mount Anubis necropolis, which is regarded as the most important burial site in Abydos thanks to the presence of King Senusret III (1874 B.C.-1855 B.C). A statement from the Ministry suggests that, by building his huge tomb in the pyramid-shaped summit of Mount Anubis, Senusret III set a precedent for future kings to follow suit.
Interestingly, another recent expedition in the area uncovered a Roman-era pottery workshop. Researchers discovered several burials at the site, including a mummified child wearing a colorful hat and the skull of a 30-year-old woman. Wheat roots and seeds from ancient plants were also found.
Sherif Fathy—Minister of Tourism and Antiquities—said both the discovery of the pharaoh's tomb and the pottery workshop will promote tourism in the area and give the world a greater understanding of Egyptian history. Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail Khaled also added that the discoveries provide context to the complex political history of the Second Intermediate period.
In the future, according to Wagner, additional research will be done to determine a more exact date of the tomb. There's always more to learn.
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