Tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II Discovered After 100 Years in Egypt

The tomb of Thutmose II, an Egyptian pharaoh who dominated round 3,500 years in the past, has been uncovered west of the Valley of the Kings. This discovery marks the primary time in a century that the burial web site of a pharaoh has been discovered, as confirmed by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The tomb, although largely empty, supplies essential insights into historical burial practices. Initial findings counsel that quickly after his burial, flooding led to the elimination of the grave items, leaving the chamber void of artefacts and a mummy. Despite this, ceramics inscribed along with his title have been recognized on the web site, enabling archaeologists to confirm the tomb’s possession.

Identification and Historical Significance

According to a press release by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the tomb was first situated in October 2022. However, it was solely in late 2024 and early 2025 that archaeologists, by means of evaluation of pottery fragments, confirmed it belonged to Thutmose II. Egyptologist Piers Litherland from the University of Cambridge, who co-led the excavation staff, acknowledged in an interview with Live Science {that a} piece of pottery bearing a label indicating the presence of natron, a key embalming substance, confirmed {that a} burial initially passed off throughout the tomb.

Possibility of a Second Burial Site

Litherland additionally talked about that whereas the tomb itself was not looted, all its contents have been eliminated after the flooding. The chance of a second, undiscovered tomb the place these objects might have been relocated is being thought-about. Some specialists imagine {that a} mummy discovered in a cache at Deir el-Bahari may belong to Thutmose II, however discrepancies concerning the estimated age at dying solid doubt on this idea. Ongoing analysis continues to discover whether or not his stays and burial items are preserved elsewhere, probably providing extra insights into Egypt’s royal burials