Giant Sarcophagus leads archaeologists to Tomb of a Previously Unknown Pharaoh

[icymist]

Archaeologists working at the southern Egyptian site of Abydos have discovered the tomb of a previously unknown pharaoh: Woseribre Senebkay—and the first material proof of a forgotten Abydos Dynasty, ca. 1650–1600 BC.

Working in cooperation with Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, a team from the Penn Museum, University of Pennsylvania, discovered king Senebkay’s tomb close to a larger royal tomb, recently identified as belonging to a king Sobekhotep (probably Sobekhotep I, ca. 1780 BC) of the 13th Dynasty.


http://www.heritagedaily.com/2014/01/giant-sarcophagus-leads-archaeologists-to-the-tomb-of-a-previously-unknown-pharaoh/100884

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. Anyone ever wonder how they carve such clean cuts

Without steel or other tough metals?
That tomb is impressive just for that reason.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

2. I continue to be surprised at how well they worked stone

Granite is very tough to work, even with steel tools. Most times you have to 'crush' the stone bit you are working on, before you can chip it off. Of course I'm talking about carving the stuff, like in making a statue or engraving. There are saws that use diamond to cut the big chunks and flat surfaces, which can then be polished or flamed (a blow torch is used to make a textured surface, which is good for traction if used for a walk, or a more natural 'look' on walls and stuff)

I haven't tried to work the stuff, because it is so tough. I'm still on the limestone, which is much easier to work.