Archaeologists have discovered a royal tomb for the first time in 100 years since Tutankhamun’s tomb was found. The tomb belonging to King Thutmose II, who ruled approximately 3,500 years ago, was discovered in the Valley of the Kings in West Luxor, Egypt. Described as one of the most important discoveries in recent years, the remnants offer significant clues about the Pharaonic era!
In Egypt, archaeologists have announced the discovery of a royal tomb for the first time in 100 years. The tomb, belonging to King Thutmose II, who ruled approximately 3,500 years ago, was found in the famous Valley of the Kings in West Luxor. Since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, the entrance and main corridor of this structure, the first royal tomb found in Egypt, were identified in 2022. Recent excavations have revealed new findings confirming that the tomb belongs to King Thutmosis II.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khalid, the Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, announced that the fragment of lids found in the tomb referred to Thutmose II as the “deceased king” and included the name of the famous Queen Hatshepsut. However, the mummy of King Thutmose II was found in an area not far from the tomb in the 19th century. Experts speculate that the remains of the king may have been moved after the tomb was plundered. The structure of the tomb is said to have been damaged shortly after the king’s death due to floods. Inscriptions from the religious book “The Book of the Dead,” blue inscriptions, and yellow star decorations were also discovered inside the tomb.
King Thutmose II reigned as the fourth pharaoh of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty from 1493-1479 BC. Although a lesser-known figure compared to powerful leaders like his father Thutmose I and his son Thutmose III, he is known for quelling a rebellion in Nubia and stopping revolts in the Levant. This discovery offers significant information about the Thutmose dynasty and the lost kings of that period. Initially, the tomb was thought to belong to the wife of the king’s son due to its proximity to Queen Hatshepsut’s tomb. However, recent findings have revealed that the structure directly belongs to Thutmose II. The Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt considers this discovery as one of the most important archaeological finds in recent years.
Archaeologists have compared this discovery to Howard Carter’s famous discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. The tomb of the young pharaoh was a treasure trove filled with 5,000 items. Objects such as funerary shoes made of gold, statues, and games were buried to accompany Tutankhamun on his journey to the afterlife.
In contrast, Thutmose II’s tomb exhibits a simpler structure. Archaeologists emphasize that the artifacts found in the tomb are of great importance in understanding the cultural and historical context of that period.