New Delhi: Archaeologists from Egypt recently discovered the first tomb of a pharaoh since Tutankhamun’s tomb was uncovered a century ago. According to reports, officials in Egypt say they have found the resting place of King Thutmose II. The first tomb of Tutankhamun was found in 1922. Archaeologists from Egypt and British experts discovered this tomb in the Mount of Thebs area, west of Luxor and the Valley of Kings.
According to a report in AlJazeera, Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian team that worked on the dig, said the burial ground’s poor condition due to exposure to flooding added to the difficulty in determining its ownership.
Let us learn more about discovery and who King Thutmose II was.
Discovery of the tomb of Thutmose II (Feb. 2025)
This week, archaeologists unveiled a momentous discovery—the long-lost tomb of Thutmose II, believed to be the final undiscovered royal burial site of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty. This marks the first tomb of a pharaoh uncovered since… pic.twitter.com/0W4uOiQMzB
— Egypt Museum (@egyptomuseum) February 19, 2025
The Discovery of King Thutmose II’s Tomb
- Archaeologists found important artefacts in a tomb, including pieces of alabaster jars with names on them. These names belong to Thutmose II and his main wife, Queen Hatshepsut, proving that the tomb belonged to them.
- Experts confirmed that Queen Hatshepsut, who was both Thutmose II’s wife and half-sister, organised his burial.
- Egyptian authorities say these artefacts provide valuable information about the area’s history and Thutmose II’s rule.
- The excavation started in 2022 and involved collaboration with specialists from the New Kingdom Research Foundation in the UK.
- The mummy of King Thutmose II was found in the 19th century at another site called the Deir el-Bahari Cachette. According to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, it was likely moved there after tomb raiders stole from it.
- His mummy and other ancient royal mummies are now on display at the museum.
Who Was King Thutmose II? A Look at His Reign
Thutmose II was the fourth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty in Egypt. He ruled for about 13 years, from 1493 to 1479 BC, or possibly only 3 years, from around 1482 to 1479 BC. Not much is known about him because he is overshadowed by his father, Thutmose I, his half-sister and wife, Hatshepsut, and his son, Thutmose III. There are only a few monuments that mention Thutmose II.
He died before turning 30. A body believed to be his was discovered in the Deir el-Bahri Cache near the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. His tomb, found in 2022 in the Western Wadis near the Valley of the Queens, was confirmed to be his in 2025. This tomb was built under a waterfall, causing flash floods that damaged it over the years. Ancient people moved his mummified body to the Deir el-Bahri cache, which was found in the 19th century.
Thutmose II was the son of Thutmose I and his minor wife, Mutnofret, who was likely a daughter of Ahmose I. This makes him a lesser son of Thutmose I. He married his half-sister Hatshepsut to secure his right to the throne. Their marriage probably happened after Thutmose became king, so their son was born after his coronation, likely after Hatshepsut was born. Thutmose II may have been in his early teens when he became Pharaoh.
He suppressed rebellions in Nubia and the Levant and defeated some nomadic Bedouins. Still, these military campaigns were led by his generals, not by Thutmose II himself. This suggests that Thutmose II was still a minor when he took the throne.
Mummy of Thutmose II
Thutmose II’s mummy was discovered in the Deir el-Bahri cache, revealed in 1881. He was buried with other leaders from the 18th and 19th dynasties, including Ahmose I, Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, Thutmose III, Ramesses I, Seti I, Ramesses II, and Ramesses IX. A label showed it had been re-wrapped in the Twenty-first Dynasty.
On July 1, 1886, the mummy was unwrapped by Gaston Maspero. The mummy of Thutmose I looks very much like his likely father. They share a similar face and head shape. Thutmose II’s left arm was broken off at the shoulder joint, the forearm separated at the elbow joint, and his right arm chopped off below the elbow as ancient tomb robbers seriously damaged his body. His anterior abdominal wall and much of his chest had been hacked at, possibly by an axe. In addition, his right leg had been severed from his body.
Archaeologists have unearthed the tomb of King Thutmose II, the first Pharaoh’s tomb discovered since Tutankhamun’s. The discovery provides valuable insights into the 18th dynasty and Thutmose II’s reign, a period previously shrouded in mystery. His mummy, previously found elsewhere, was likely moved due to tomb robbery. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
