Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – An Egyptian-British archaeological team has made a groundbreaking discovery by uncovering the long-lost tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II, completing the list of royal tombs from Egypt’s 18th Dynasty. This significant find in the C Valley, west of Luxor, is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first royal tomb discovery since Howard Carter unearthed King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922.
Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Pharaoh Thutmose II, who ruled during the 2nd millennium B.C., played a significant role in maintaining Egypt’s territorial integrity. He successfully suppressed a rebellion in Nubia, located to the south of Egypt, and also launched a punitive expedition to Palestine targeting nomadic groups. For over a century, the location of Thutmose II’s tomb was unknown; however, it has now finally been discovered.
The Supreme Council of Antiquities conducted the excavation in collaboration with the New Kingdom Research Foundation. It commenced in 2022 when researchers located Tomb C4’s entrance and main corridor. Initially believed to belong to a royal consort due to its proximity to the tombs of King Thutmose III’s wives and Queen Hatshepsut, further investigation confirmed it as King Thutmose II’s burial site.
Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Artifacts discovered within include fragments of alabaster jars bearing inscriptions that directly associate with Thutmose II and his principal wife, Queen Hatshepsut. These findings provided definitive evidence regarding ownership. Experts have also determined that Queen Hatshepsut, who was both his wife and half-sister, managed his burial arrangements.
“This is the first time funerary furniture belonging to Thutmose II has been discovered, as no such items exist in museums worldwide,” Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said in a press release.
“This is the first time funerary furniture belonging to Thutmose II has been discovered, as no such items exist in museums worldwide,” he stated. According to Khaled, it is the first royal tomb uncovered since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922.
“Despite its significance, the tomb was found in poor condition, flooded in antiquity shortly after the king’s death. Water damage caused severe deterioration, leading to the loss of many original contents, which are believed to have been relocated during ancient times,” said Mohamed Abdel Badei, head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Sector and head of the mission from the Egyptian side.
Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
“Archaeological teams have restored portions of fallen plaster adorned with intricate designs, including blue inscriptions, yellow star motifs, and elements of the Book of Amduat, a key religious text used in royal tombs,” he added.
Ahram Online reports that Piers Litherland, who leads the British team and serves as the field director for the mission, observed that the tomb features a straightforward layout consistent with an early version of the left-hand-turn design used by successive kings of the 18th Dynasty.
The only unusual aspect is a second corridor. Initially believed to be a robbers’ tunnel, this corridor was later found to have been expanded twice and coated with white gypsum plaster. Unlike typical corridors that slope downwards, this one slopes upwards and passes through the burial chamber at a height of 1.4 meters above its floor.
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It is estimated that the floodwater rose to this level during the flooding of the tomb. This corridor seems to have been built specifically to enable the removal of the king’s body from his waterlogged tomb. The team intends to proceed with their excavations to reveal further secrets of the site.
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
