Archaeologists have discovered a massive tomb of an unidentified pharaoh at an Egyptian necropolis, marking the second discovery of a king’s tomb this year. The tomb, estimated to be 3,600 years old, was found nearly 23 feet underground at Abydos, one of the oldest cities in ancient Egypt. This city, located about 300 miles south of Cairo, was used as a burial place for early pharaohs and evolved into a pilgrimage site in antiquity. The burial chamber, featuring a decorated entrancing, multiple rooms, and 16-foot vaults made of mud bricks, overshadows another tomb discovered at Abydos over a decade earlier.
Josef Wegner, leader of the Penn Museum’s excavation team, stressed the significance of the discovery, describing it as marking “a new chapter” in investigations into the Abydos dynasty. Despite the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ earlier mention of the findings, Wegner revealed additional details, such as the tomb’s similarities to the 2014-discovered tomb of King Seneb-Kay. Both tombs boast the earliest surviving painted decorations, showcasing the goddesses Isis and Nephthys on plastered brickwork.
However, similar to a tomb found near the Valley of the Kings this year, the Abydos tomb has suffered damage over the centuries. Grave robbers have left behind little except pottery and inscriptions. The tomb’s identifying hieroglyphic texts have also been made illegible by such activities. Archaeologists are hopeful, however, that this discovery could offer insights into the destabilizing period before the New Kingdom, when Egypt was fragmented among competing powers. The Tomb’s potential to shed light on these “warrior pharaohs” and their impact on ancient Egypt’s unification is highly significant. While the extent of the Abydos dynasty’s rule is not clear, their adoption of the title ‘king’ suggests ambitions beyond local control. Researchers plan to continue excavating the site and protecting it, hoping to find other intact tombs.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/world/africa/egypt-tomb-pharaoh-abydos.html
