Lost Tomb of King Thutmose II Found After Over 3,000 Years

The tomb of King Thutmose II, the last missing royal tomb of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, has been discovered in the mount of Thebes, west of Luxor, near the Valley of the Kings. This marks the first royal tomb found in Egypt since the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s in 1922.

The excavation was carried out by a joint Egyptian-British archaeological mission, which confirmed the tomb’s identity as No. C4 based on inscriptions and artifacts.

The entrance and main passage of the tomb were first uncovered in 2022, with continuous excavations leading to its identification. Initially, the tomb’s location near the burial sites of King Thutmose III’s wives and Queen Hatshepsut suggested it may have belonged to a royal wife. However, further discoveries, including alabaster vessels bearing inscriptions, confirmed Thutmose II’s identity and his connection to Hatshepsut, his wife and half-sister, who is believed to have conducted his burial rites.

Despite its historical significance, the tomb is in poor condition due to ancient flooding that damaged its interior shortly after Thutmose II’s death. Studies suggest that many of the original burial items were relocated after the floods. Fragments of blue mortar decorated with yellow stars, along with excerpts from the funerary book Imydwat, were among the findings inside the tomb.

King Thutmose II’s mummy was previously discovered in the 19th century at the Deir el-Bahari Cachette, where it was likely moved after tomb looting. It is now displayed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.