In an exciting archaeological discovery, a joint Egyptian-British mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Modern State Research Foundation has successfully found the last missing tomb of the pharaohs of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty: the tomb of King Thutmose II. This finding marks a milestone in Egyptology, as it is the first royal tomb discovered since Howard Carter revealed that of Tutankhamun to the world in 1922.

The team of archaeologists found the tomb during excavations at Tomb C4, located in the C Valley of the Theban mountain, west of Luxor. The entrance and main corridor of this burial site were located in October 2022, approximately 2.4 kilometers from the Valley of the Kings, an area that had remained largely unexplored until now.

At the beginning of the investigations, it was thought that the tomb might belong to a wife from the Thutmosid dynasty, given its proximity to the tombs of the wives of Thutmose III and Queen Hatshepsut, who was originally buried as a royal consort before ascending to the throne of Egypt. However, as the work progressed, evidence emerged confirming that the tomb belonged to King Thutmose II himself.

Thutmose II tomb discovered
Objects with inscriptions found inside the tomb of Thutmose II. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sharif Fathi, highlighted the importance of this discovery, emphasizing that the tomb of Thutmose II is the first royal burial discovered in more than a century, representing an unprecedented revelation for the understanding of Egyptian civilization.

The Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, explained that the confirmation of the tomb’s owner was achieved through fragments of alabaster vessels found inside, which bore inscriptions with the name of Pharaoh Thutmose II, followed by the title the deceased king.

Alongside these fragments, references were also found to his principal royal wife, the legendary Queen Hatshepsut, providing definitive evidence that she oversaw the funerary rites of her husband and half-brother.

Thutmose II tomb discovered
Another image of the interior of the tomb of Thutmose II. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt

Dr. Khaled described this discovery as one of the most significant in recent decades, not only for its historical impact but also because the funerary objects found in the tomb constitute the first known vestiges of Thutmose II’s burial assemblage. Until now, no museum collection in the world housed funerary furniture attributed to this pharaoh, making this find an event of international significance.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities and director of the mission on behalf of Egypt, noted that the tomb was found in a very deteriorated state of preservation due to flooding that covered it with water and sediment shortly after the monarch’s burial. As a result, archaeologists have had to recover and restore fragments of decorated stucco that had detached from the tomb’s walls and ceiling.

Initial studies suggest that, due to the flood damage, the ancient Egyptians relocated most of the tomb’s funerary contents to an unknown location. However, some fragments of the interior decoration have provided key insights into the religious beliefs of the time, including passages from the Book of Amduat or Book of What Is in the Afterlife, a sacred text used exclusively in the tombs of pharaohs.

Thutmose II tomb discovered
The tomb is badly damaged by flooding. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt

Dr. Piers Litherland, director of the archaeological mission representing the United Kingdom, explained that the tomb of Thutmose II features a simple architectural design but is of great importance, as it served as a model for the tombs of later kings of the 18th Dynasty.

Its structure consists of a descending corridor covered with a layer of white plaster, leading to the burial chamber. Inside this chamber, the team of archaeologists discovered that the floor lies at a depth of 1.4 meters below the corridor level, suggesting that this height difference may have been used to facilitate the movement of funerary objects.

Researchers continue working on the excavation and documentation of the site in hopes of discovering where Thutmose II’s belongings were taken after his tomb was flooded. The search for this possible hidden cache could lead to new discoveries that shed light on one of the most fascinating periods in the history of ancient Egypt.

SOURCES

Ministerio de Turismo y Antigüedades de Egipto

  • Share on:

Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Follow LBV Magazine on Google News