Tomb of ancient Egyptian king found in remarkable discovery

Tomb of ancient Egyptian king found in remarkable discovery

A royal tomb belonging to an Egyptian queen has been discovered, in what authorities are calling an "astonishing" discovery.

Discovery of the tomb of King Thutmose II

A joint archaeological mission from Egypt and Britain has identified the tomb as that of King Thutmose II, an ancient Egyptian ruler who ruled between 2000 and 1001 B.C. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a press release on Tuesday.

Location of the tomb

The tomb, originally referred to only as “Tomb C4,” is located approximately 1.5 miles west of the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. When the tomb's entrance and main corridor were first discovered in 2022, the archaeological team suspected that it belonged to one of the kings' wives. This assumption was based on the proximity to the tomb of Queen Hatshepsut and the tombs of the wives of King Thutmose III, explained Mohammad Ismail Khaled, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

New insights

However, over time, the joint mission led by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the New Kingdom Research Foundation uncovered a different story: the tomb actually belongs to King Thutmose II. Piers Litherland, the field director of the New Kingdom Research Foundation, expressed surprise at the discovery. "We thought, like many others, that this was a wadi (valley) associated with royal women," Litherland said.

Special location of the grave

The location of the tomb is very unusual for a king. "It is in an inconvenient location under two waterfalls and at the base of a slope that allows water to flow (diligently) in the much wetter weather of the 18th Dynasty," he added.

Evidence of the king's identity

Evidence pointing to Thutmose II includes fragments of alabaster vessels inscribed with his name, identifying him as the "deceased king", and inscriptions with the name of his wife and half-sister, Queen Hatshepsut. Khaled explained that the discovery represents one of the most significant archaeological breakthroughs in recent years and that artifacts found in the tomb will provide valuable insight into the history of the region and the king's reign.

Little is known about Thutmose II

Little is known about Thutmose II. Scholars even debate the length of his reign, which may have been as short as three or four years or as long as 14 years. "So far, the discovery of the grave doesn't tell us much about his life," Litherland said. "It does show, however, that he was buried by Hatshepsut and not by his son, the infantile Thutmose III. It was the duty of kings to bury their predecessors."

State of preservation of the grave

The tomb was found in a poor state of preservation because flooding may have occurred shortly after the king's death, said Mohamed Abdel Badi, head of Egypt's antiquities sector and co-head of the mission. Water damaged the tomb's interior, and initial studies suggest the original contents were likely moved elsewhere.

Restoration work and future missions

However, the archaeological team was able to restore fallen plaster fragments in the grave. Among them were remnants of plaster with blue inscriptions, yellow star motifs and parts of the Book of Amduat, a religious text associated with ancient Egyptian royal tombs. Litherland noted that the tomb's simple architectural design served as a prototype for later royal tombs of the 18th Dynasty. He added that the mission will continue its work to uncover more secrets of the region and find the final burial site of the original tomb contents.