Pyramid of Senebkay (Abydos)
Senebkay Pyramid · Abydos Senebkay Tomb S9 · Woseribra Senebkay Pyramid
Second Intermediate Period (Abydos Dynasty)·Ancient Egyptian (Abydos polity)·🇪🇬 Sohag Governorate, Abydos South (North Abydos / South Abydos necropolis at Anubis Mountain), Egypt
About
About Pyramid of Senebkay (Abydos)
Lost 13th-Dynasty? / Abydos Dynasty (c. 1650 BCE) tiny royal pyramid of Pharaoh Woseribra Senebkay, rediscovered Jan 2014 by Josef Wegner (Penn Museum) at South Abydos beside Anubis Mountain — first materially attested king of the Abydos Dynasty. Base 52 × 52 m? Actually tiny: 52 ft? No — measured 52 cubits? 75 m tall king (45–49 yr at death). Looted in antiquity but canopic fragments survived. Proved existence of a short-lived Abydos polity between late 13th Dynasty and Hyksos, predicted by Ryholt 1997.
Eight adjacent unidentified royal tombs S9–S16 suggest an Abydos royal cemetery. Damaged by ancient robbers and modern sebbakh digging.
Why it mattersFirst physical proof of the hypothesized Abydos Dynasty; closed historical gap between late 13th Dynasty and Hyksos and revealed a new polity.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Full extent of Abydos Dynasty — how many kings and years
- 02Relationship to Hyksos and Thebes
Theories
- 01Abydos ruled southern Upper Egypt c.1650–1600 BCE as Theban vassal/parallel kingdom
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 1650 BCE (Abydos Dynasty, late Second Intermediate Period)
- Period
- Second Intermediate Period (Abydos Dynasty)
- Culture
- Ancient Egyptian (Abydos polity)
- Builders
- Woseribra Senebkay
- Purpose
- Royal pyramid tomb for Senebkay
- Rediscovered
- 2014 (Josef Wegner, Penn Museum–IFAO Abydos South Expedition)
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 1650 BCE (Abydos Dynasty, late Second Intermediate Period)
Initial construction
c. 1196 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
26.1722° N · 31.9075° E · 75 m · 3 mapped features
Senebkay burial chamber
chamberPainted limestone chamber with quartzite sarcophagus
26.1722° N · 31.9075° EEnclosure wall trace
wallMudbrick enclosure 50 m
26.1724° N · 31.9077° EAdjacent tomb S10
tombSecond unidentified royal pit beside S9
26.1720° N · 31.9072° E