Pharaoh’s tomb discovered in Egypt for first time since Tutankhamun’s in 1922

In a remarkable discovery, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh's tomb has been discovered by archaeologists, making it the first such find since Tutankhamun's tomb was uncovered more than a century ago in 1922.

According to a statement by the Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Tuesday, the inscriptions have indicated that the tomb was King Thutmose II's burial place. He is said to have ruled for nearly half of the decade about 3,500 years ago, The Washington Post reported.

In the preliminary findings, it was suggested that King Thutmose II's mummy, which was discovered earlier, was shifted along with other contents of the tomb when the region flooded post his demise.

Location of tomb

The British-Egyptian team of researchers have discovered the Egyptian pharaoh's tomb in Theban Necropolis' Western Valleys, located near the city of Luxor, according to BBC.

Earlier, they thought that the burial chambers of 18th dynasty pharaohs could be over 2 km away, near the Valley of the Kings. The tomb was unearthed in an area linked to the royal women's resting places.

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Among other things recovered during the mission were fragments of alabaster jars, which were believed to have been used to store perfumes and oils. These were inscribed with the name Pharaoh Thutmose II along with the name of his wife Queen Hatshepsut. She was among Egypt's few female pharaohs who went on to rule in her own right, Sky News reported.

Thutmose II is popular among the 18th dynasty pharaohs for the events set into motion from his death at the age of roughly 30. Post his demise, Hatshepsut, who was also his half-sister, took over the reigns -- firstly as regent and later as female pharaoh.

Key achievements of Pharoah Thutmose II

The discovery of King Thutmose II's tomb is one of the most significant in the past several decades, said Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The council worked on this project along with British archaeologist Piers Litherland-led New Kingdom Research Foundation.

“This is the first time funerary furniture belonging to Thutmose II has been discovered, as no such items exist in museums worldwide,” The Washington Post quoted Khaled as saying.

At first, the researchers had discovered the entrance of this tomb in 2022. The purpose and importance of it was only known via subsequent investigations.

From the late 1700s to early 1900s, researchers have found several pharaoh’s tombs in Egypt.

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Talking about the latest discovery, Litherland told BBC that part of the tomb's ceiling was "still intact: a blue-painted ceiling with yellow stars on it." He highlighted that these are only found in kings' tombs.

FAQs

1. Where was King Thutmose II's tomb discovered?
It was found roughly 1.5 miles west of the Valley of the Kings in the western mountain region of Luxor.

2. Who was King Thutmose II?
He was an ancient Egyptian king and reigned somewhere between 2000 and 1001 BC.