The joint Egyptian-British archaeological mission has unearthed the long-lost tomb of King Thutmose II, a pharaoh of the illustrious 18th Dynasty, revealing deep insights into an era of grandeur and intrigue.
“This is the first royal tomb to be discovered since the ground-breaking find of King Tutankhamun’s burial chamber in 1922,” Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said.
“It is an extraordinary moment for Egyptology and the broader understanding of our shared human story.”
Located in Wadi C at Theban Mountain, Cemetery No. C4, west of the Valley of the Kings, the tomb was first identified in 2022 with the discovery of its entrance and main corridor. Initially thought to belong to a queen due to its proximity to tombs of royal wives and its alignment with Queen Hatshepsut’s burial site, further excavation uncovered conclusive evidence linking the tomb to King Thutmose II, a statement issues by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said.
The discovery of alabaster pots inscribed with his name and titles, alongside references to his queen and half-sister Hatshepsut, resolved this ancient mystery.
King Thutmose II was one of the most enigmatic rulers of ancient Egypt, overshadowed by his predecessor Thutmose I and his successor Thutmose III. However, Hatshepsut, who went on to become one of Egypt’s most iconic female pharaohs, played a key role in his burial – a fact evidenced through inscriptions and funerary texts found within the tomb, including fragments from the Book of What Is in the Underworld (Amduat). This sacred text, often reserved for royal burials, depicted the pharaoh’s journey into the afterlife.
The tomb itself tells a compelling story of both grandeur and loss. The corridor, once painstakingly plastered, leads to a burial chamber that was repeatedly flooded over millennia.
Experts believe the remaining artifacts were relocated to protect them from water damage. The excavation team continues to survey the site in hopes of locating these missing items.
