Gallery: The Discovery of a Forgotten Pharaoh

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Excavating a New Tomb

Excavating Abydos tomb in Egypt.

(Image credit: Josef Wegner, Penn Museum)

Senebkay Skeleton

The mummy of Senebkay on a table

(Image credit: Jennifer Wegner, Penn Museum)

The skeleton of the previously unknown pharaoh Woseribre Senebkay lays on a table. The king’s body was originally mummified, but robbers ripped the body apart. Surrounding the skeleton (from left to right) are Matt Olson, Graduate Student, NELC Department, University of Pennsylvania; Alexander Wegner; and Paul Verhelst, Graduate Student, NELC Department, University of Pennsylvania.

Burial Chamber Chaos

pile of remains and sand in tomb

(Image credit: Kevin Cahail, Penn Museum)

The damaged remains of the burial and canopic chest of the pharaoh Woseribre Senebkay.

Cartouche

Cartouche of Senebkay

(Image credit: Jennifer Wegner, Penn Museum)

At left, the sun disc and goose means "Son of Re" (or Ra), the Egyptian sun god. The cartouche at right spells the name of the pharaoh, Senebkay, whose body was interred in the four-chambered tomb.

King's Cartouche

Senebkay's cartouche in blue

(Image credit: Jennifer Wegner, Penn Museum)

The cartouche of the newly discovered pharaoh, Woseribre Senebkay, inside the king’s limestone burial chamber.

Painted Goddesses

goddess on tomb wall

(Image credit: Jennifer Wegner, Penn Museum)

A painted scene of the Neith, the goddess of war and wisdom, and Nut, goddess of the sky, protecting the canopic shrine of the pharaoh Woseribre Senebkay.

Painted Tomb

Colorful tomb paintings on limestone

(Image credit: Jennifer Wegner, Penn Museum)

Painted decoration in the burial chamber of the pharaoh Woseribre Senebkay.

Senebkay Tomb

Tomb of lost pharaoh Senebkey

(Image credit: Josef Wegner, Penn Museum)

A view of the tomb of the pharaoh Woseribre Senebkay.

Mystery Sarcophagus

huge red sarcophagus

(Image credit: Josef Wegner, Penn Museum)

Close up of Penn Museum excavations of a recently discovered royal sarcophagus chamber at Abydos, Egypt, June 2013. The discovery of this chamber (identi#ed as that of king Sobekhotep, probably Sobekhotep I, ca. 1780 BC, of the 13 th Dynasty) led researchers to the nearby tomb of a previously unknown pharaoh, Woseribre Senebkay, who ruled around 1650–1600 BC.

Sarcophagus Scene

Sarcophagus and excavations

(Image credit: Josef Wegner, Penn Museum)

Penn Museum desert excavations of a recently discovered royal sarcophagus chamber at Abydos, Egypt, June 2013. The discovery of this chamber (identi#ed as that of king Sobekhotep, probably Sobekhotep I, ca. 1780 BC, of the 13 th Dynasty) led researchers to discover the nearby tomb of a previously unknown pharaoh, Woseribre Senebkay, who ruled ca. 1650–1600 BC.

Stephanie Pappas
Stephanie Pappas
Live Science Contributor

Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.