Archaeologists have announced the discovery of the first royal tomb in Egypt since Tutankhamun’s burial was uncovered more than 100 years ago.Â
The burial place of King Thutmose II, who reigned approximately 3,500 years ago, was discovered in west Luxor, in an area famously known as the Valley of the Kings. This is the same location where Tutankhamun’s tomb was found in 1922.
Initially, the entrance to the tomb and the main passageway were unearthed in 2022. Further diggings and explorations at the site revealed significant hints linking the tomb to the pharaoh Thutmose II.
According to Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, the Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, fragments of pottery vessels with inscriptions were identified. These inscriptions not only confirmed the identity of Thutmose II as the ‘deceased king’ but also included the name of his wife, Hatshepsut.
King Thutmose’s remains, however, were found in the 19th century not too far from the tomb. Archaeologists suggested the mummy was likely moved centuries after the tomb was looted.
The tomb was found in a poor state of preservation due to its exposure to floods shortly after the king’s death, which caused pieces of mortar to fall from the interior.
The structure features a corridor with a floor covered with a layer of white plaster, leading to the burial chamber in the main corridor of the tomb where the floor level is about five feet higher than the floor of the chamber itself.
Archaeologists also discovered remnants of blue inscriptions and yellow sky stars, as well as decorations and paragraphs from the religious book ‘IImydwat’ that was placed in the tomb of kings.
The resting place of King Thutmose II, the fourth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt who ruled around 3,500 years ago, was uncovered in west Luxor. However, the mummy was found in the 19th century not far from the site
The structure features a corridor with a floor covered with a layer of white plaster, leading to the burial chamber in the main corridor of the tomb where the floor level is about five feet higher than the floor of the chamber itself
King Thutmose II was the fourth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, and his reign is thought to be 13 years 1493 to 1479 BC or just only three years from around 1482 to 1479 BC. He died at the age of 30.
Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty, however, reigned for more than 200 years.
Archaeologists noted that Thutmose’s tomb was the last of the lost kings of that era, but has been seen as less of important compared to his father, Thutmose I, sone, Thutmose III, and wife, Queen Hatshepsut.
Thutmose I, was the first pharaoh to cut his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. While Thutmose III was known as ‘the Napoleon of Egypt’ for his conquests and expansionism.
And Queen Hatshepsut made a name for herself due to being a female pharaoh, but also expanding trade and commissioning many building projects.
However, King Thutmose II is known for suppressing an uprise in Nubia and leading armies to stop rebels in the Levant.Â
The burial structure was found at Mount Thebes, located about 1.4 miles from the Valley of the Kings area.
Archaeologists thought the tomb belonged to the wife of Thutmose’s son due to its proximity to the tomb of Queen Hatshepsut who was also his half-sister.
Dr Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of Egypt ‘s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that fragments of vessels bore inscriptions identifying Thutmose II as the ‘deceased king,’ alongside the name of his wife, Hatshepsut
The tomb was found in a poor state of preservation due to its exposure to floods shortly after the king’s death, which caused pieces of mortar to fall from the interior
‘The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities described this discovery as one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent years, as the artifacts discovered there are an important addition to the history of the archaeological area and the reign of King Thutmose II,’ archaeologists shared.
They also noted that their excavations produced the first funerary furniture of this king, unlike King Tut whose tomb was filled with 5,000 items.Â
On November 4, 1922, Carter’s group found steps that led to Tutankhamun’s tomb and spent several months cataloguing the antechamber.
The team opened the burial chamber and discovered the the sarcophagus in February the following year.
The tomb is considered one of the most lavish to be discovered in history, filled with precious objects to aid the young Pharaoh on his voyage to the afterlife.
The newly found tomb was found more than 100 years after the famous King Tut was uncovered in EgyptÂ
On November 4, 1922, Carter’s group found steps that led to Tutankhamun’s tomb and spent several months cataloguing the antechamberÂ
The trove of grave goods included solid gold funeral shoes, statues, games and strange animals.
The small size of Tutankhamun’s burial chamber, given his standing in the Egyptian history, has baffled experts for years.
Carter and his team took 10 years to clear the tomb of its treasure.
The boy king was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, and ruled between 1332 BC and 1323 BC.
He was the son of Akhenaten and took to the throne at the age of nine or ten.
When Tut became king, he married his half-sister, Ankhesenpaaten.
He died at around the age of 18 and his cause of death is unknown.
The young king, however, was plagued with health issues due to his parent’s being brother and sister.
