Ancient tomb of unknown Egyptian pharaoh ‘Senebkay’ found in Abydos

[Katashi_itto]

US archaeologists have uncovered the tomb in southern Egypt of a previously unknown pharaoh who ruled 3,700 years ago, antiquities officials said on Wednesday.

The discovery by a team from the University of Pennsylvania provides new evidence that at least part of Egypt may have escaped the rule of the Hyksos, invaders from what is now Syria who dominated the Nile Delta between the 18th and 15th centuries BC, the officials said.

A royal cartouche bearing the full name of pharaoh Senebkay was found on the sarcophagus and on a wall of the tomb unearthed in the ancient city of Abydos, the head of the antiquities ministry’s pharaonic department, Ali El-Asfar, said.


The team also recovered the skeleton of the pharaoh, which suggested he stood 185 centimetres (just over six foot) tall.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/15/ancient-tomb-of-unknown-egyptian-pharaoh-senebkay-found-in-abydos/

[bklyncowgirl]

1. Very interesting. There are many stories yet to be told regarding this period of Egyptian history.

There has long been speculation, but not much proof, that a dynasty centered at Abydos sprung up after the Hyksos took over the northern part of Egypt along with another independent state with its own king further south at Thebes.

This I guess is proof.

On a side note, at 6' old Senebkay would have been one big dude in his day.

[Orrex]

2. A translation of one of the inscriptions;

Awakening in the land of the dead, the mummified body of Senebkay stretched forth his dessicated limbs and rose. He opened his eyes and beheld his faithful Sem, already awake and prostrate on the cold stone, patiently awaiting the Pharaoh's least request.

"Hail to you," intoned the humble servant. "Hail to you, O Breath of Life, Giver of Plenty, Most Just, Most Merciful Lord. Hail to you, Bringer of the Dawn, Vanquisher of Enemies, and Protector of All. Hail to you, Once-Dead God, The Most Great, The Wise. How may I serve you, Lord? Pray let me bring you food and drink, for you must hunger after your long journey."

"No, thanks," rasped the mummy. "I'm stuffed."

[KatyMan]

7. shame on you...

I read through the whole thing! Nice work!

[theHandpuppet]

3. Amazing

Thanks for posting this.

Wouldn't Senebkay have been considered unusually tall for his time? Of course, I'm sure he had a much better diet than most of the population.

I wonder how much that sarcophagus weighs? It's huge!

[bklyncowgirl]

9. Yes, most Egyptians were pretty short.

I think Amonhotep II and Ramses II were close to 6' tall. It was once thought that the great warrior Thutmose III was something of a shrimp, around 5'2" but when they x-rayed his much battered mummy they found that he'd been rewrapped by the priests who restored his mummy without his feet. He probably stood 5'8" or so in life and would have been an imposing figure in his day.

The sarcophagus may have been recycled from an earlier royal burial. These were bad times in Egypt and when times were bad the royal tombs were looted.

[yuiyoshida]

4. I smell a new

Brendan Fraser Mummy flick in the near future... The Pharaoh Senebkay strikes back!

[pinboy3niner]

5. Indeed. You might even say the project is already a wrap. :)

[yuiyoshida]

6. Heh.

[Katashi_itto]

11. :)

[KatyMan]

8. I would love for any fellow DU'ers

who are "into" Egypt to recommend some books on the subject, some good history books. I know very little about ancient Egypt, but it's always been on my list of historical periods to explore (along with WW1 and the Victorians, which I still haven't followed up on enough!). It's so far away in time and so alien that it almost seems like fiction to me and I'd love to bring it into my historical consciousness (if you'll pardon the pretentiousness).

[Enthusiast]

10. I read one on Egyptian History

many years ago. I found it positively captivating. Unfortunately I cannot remember the title or author. You might look here.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Egyptian+history&btnG=Search+Books&tbm=bks&tbo=1