Archaeologists have unearthed a massive tomb belonging to an ancient Egyptian pharaoh in one of the oldest cities in the world.
The long-lost burial site was discovered nearly 23 feet underground at the Mount Anubis necropolis in Abydos, in central Egypt.
A joint Egyptian-American archaeological team made the remarkable find - which dates back more than 3,000 years.
The burial site features several rooms and impressive 16-foot vaults constructed from mud bricks.
The entrance is adorned with painted scenes depicting the goddess Isis and her sister Nephthys, deities commonly associated with funerary rituals in ancient Egypt.
These decorative elements suggest the tomb belonged to someone of significant importance in Egyptian society.
But like many ancient tombs, this one has been looted and damaged by robbers over the centuries.
The mummy and sarcophagus which once lay inside have vanished - leaving researchers none the wiser about the tomb's owner.
Archaeologists found remnants of hieroglyphic markings identifying the royal ruler at the entrance, but these were unfortunately undecipherable.
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Experts believe the tomb belongs to a member of the Abydos dynasty, which ruled the region more than 3,000 years ago.
The most likely candidates are the ancient pharaohs Senaiib and Paentjeni, who have dedicated monuments elsewhere but no known tombs.
Kathryn Howley, an archaeologist at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University, said the find had the "potential to rewrite the history of ancient Egypt".
"We don't have a huge amount of source material to work with, and that's why a new discovery like this is so exciting," she added.
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It comes just weeks after another major Egyptian discovery, which marked only the second royal tomb found since King Tutankhamun's over 100 years ago.
In February, archaeologists uncovered King Thutmose II's tomb near Luxor's ancient Valley of the Kings.
Thutmose II was the fourth Pharaoh of Egypt's 18th Dynasty, reigning from about 1493 BC to 1479 BC.
He died aged 30 and was married to Queen Hatshepsut, who later became a powerful female pharaoh.
Find Out More...
The long-lost burial site was discovered nearly 23 feet underground at the Mount Anubis necropolis in Abydos, in central Egypt.
A joint Egyptian-American archaeological team made the remarkable find - which dates back more than 3,000 years.
The burial site features several rooms and impressive 16-foot vaults constructed from mud bricks.
The entrance is adorned with painted scenes depicting the goddess Isis and her sister Nephthys, deities commonly associated with funerary rituals in ancient Egypt.
These decorative elements suggest the tomb belonged to someone of significant importance in Egyptian society.
But like many ancient tombs, this one has been looted and damaged by robbers over the centuries.
The mummy and sarcophagus which once lay inside have vanished - leaving researchers none the wiser about the tomb's owner.
Archaeologists found remnants of hieroglyphic markings identifying the royal ruler at the entrance, but these were unfortunately undecipherable.
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Experts believe the tomb belongs to a member of the Abydos dynasty, which ruled the region more than 3,000 years ago.
The most likely candidates are the ancient pharaohs Senaiib and Paentjeni, who have dedicated monuments elsewhere but no known tombs.
Kathryn Howley, an archaeologist at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University, said the find had the "potential to rewrite the history of ancient Egypt".
"We don't have a huge amount of source material to work with, and that's why a new discovery like this is so exciting," she added.
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It comes just weeks after another major Egyptian discovery, which marked only the second royal tomb found since King Tutankhamun's over 100 years ago.
In February, archaeologists uncovered King Thutmose II's tomb near Luxor's ancient Valley of the Kings.
Thutmose II was the fourth Pharaoh of Egypt's 18th Dynasty, reigning from about 1493 BC to 1479 BC.
He died aged 30 and was married to Queen Hatshepsut, who later became a powerful female pharaoh.
Find Out More...