This is the first mausoleum of a pharaoh discovered by Egyptologists since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb over a century ago.
The 18th Egyptian dynasty’s final undiscovered royal tomb was King Thutmose II’s.
It was discovered in the Western Valleys of the Theban Necropolis, near the city of Luxor, by a British-Egyptian team. The burial chambers of the 18th dynasty pharaohs were believed to be located over 2 kilometres distant, closer to the Valley of the Kings, by researchers.
The crew discovered it in an area associated with regal women’s resting places. However, upon entering the burial chamber, they discovered that it was decorated with a pharaoh’s emblem.
“A blue-painted ceiling with yellow stars was still present.” Dr Piers Litherland, the field director of the mission, stated that blue-painted ceilings with yellow stars are exclusively found in the tombs of monarchs.
During an interview with the BBC ‘s Newshour program, he expressed that he was currently feeling inundated.
“The emotion of getting into these things is just one of extraordinary bewilderment because when you come across something you’re not expecting to find, it’s emotionally extremely turbulent really,” according to him.
“And when I came out, my wife was waiting outside and the only thing I could do was burst into tears.”
Dr. Litherland stated that the discovery resolved the enigma surrounding the whereabouts of the tombs of the monarchs of the early 18th dynasty.
Researchers discovered Thutmose II’s mummified remains two centuries ago; however, the original burial site had never been identified.
Thutmose II, believed to have reigned from approximately 1493 to 1479 BC, was a progenitor of Tutankhamun. In 1922, British archaeologists discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb.
What’s Next: Possible Treasures in the Second Tomb of Thutmose II
Thutmose II is most renowned for his marriage to Queen Hatshepsut, considered one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs and one of the few female pharaohs who governed independently.
Dr. Litherland said the tomb’s “large staircase and a very large descending corridor” suggested grandeur.
He stated, “It took us a very long time to get through all that,” citing that the ceilings had collapsed and the flood debris had obstructed the way.
“It was only after crawling through a 10m (32ft) passageway that had a small 40cm gap at the top that we got into the burial chamber.”
They discovered the blue ceiling and decorations depicting scenes from the Amduat, a religious text exclusively reserved for monarchs. Dr. Litherland stated that this was another critical indicator that they had discovered a king’s mausoleum.
They proceeded to remove the debris, anticipating the discovery of the crushed remains of a burial beneath it.
However, Dr. Litherland stated that “the tomb was entirely devoid of any contents.” “Not because it was robbed but because it had been deliberately emptied.”
The mausoleum’s contents were relocated to a different location in ancient times after it was flooded a few years after the king’s burial, as it was constructed beneath a waterfall.
Fragments of alabaster vessels bearing the names of Thutmose II and Hatshepsut were discovered by sifting through tonnes of limestone in the chamber.
Dr. Litherland speculated that these alabaster fragments had likely been damaged during the tomb’s relocation.
“And thank goodness they actually did break one or two things because that’s how we found out whose tomb it was.”
The antiquities are the initial items discovered concerning Thutmose II’s burial.
Dr. Litherland stated that his team had a preliminary understanding of the location of the second tomb, and it was possible that it was still intact and contained valuable items.
The joint team from Dr. Litherland’s New Kingdom Research Foundation and Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has completed over 12 years of work with the discovery of the pharaoh’s tomb.
The team has previously excavated 54 tombs in the western part of the Theban mountain in Luxor and determined the identities of over 30 royal spouses and courtwomen.
“This is the first royal tomb to be discovered since the groundbreaking discovery of King Tutankhamun’s burial chamber in 1922,” stated Sherif Fathy, Egypt’s minister of tourism and antiquities.
“It is an extraordinary moment for Egyptology and the broader understanding of our shared human story.”
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