Pharaohʼs tomb discovered in Egypt for the first time in over 100 years

A pharaohʼs tomb has been found in Egypt — the first since 1922, when the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered.

This was reported by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt.

Thutmose II, a pharaoh from the 18th dynasty

who ruled Ancient Egypt around 1 500 BC, rested here.

The entrance to the main corridor of the tomb was discovered in the vicinity of Luxor — this is ancient Thebes, back in October 2022. Initially, scientists assumed that the tomb belonged to one of the members of the royal family from the 18th dynasty. This was indicated by the fact that nearby were the tomb of Queen Hatshepsut, the wife and half-sister of Thutmose II, who ascended the throne after his death, as well as the tomb of the wives of Pharaoh Thutmose III — the son of Thutmose II.

However, new excavations have made it possible to establish that the tomb belonged to Pharaoh Thutmose II. When archaeologists entered the burial chamber, they saw a ceiling painted blue — a sign that a pharaoh was buried there. This is also indicated by the objects found — primarily fragments of alabaster jars with the names of the deceased Thutmose II and his wife, Queen Hatshepsut.

Archaeologists also discovered fragments of the pharaohʼs funerary furniture, the first such find — the funerary furniture of Thutmose II had not been found before. Among the discovered fragments are the remains of plaster with blue inscriptions and plots from the Book of Amduat, a key funerary text of Ancient Egypt associated with royal tombs.

Shortly after the burial of Pharaoh Thutmose II, a flood occurred that severely damaged the interior of the tomb. Researchers have determined that the contents of the tomb were moved to another location after the flood.

The mummy of Thutmose II was discovered in the Theban necropolis in the Deir el-Bahri cache, discovered in 1881. The cache contained dozens of mummified human remains, including those of the pharaohs Thutmose III, Seti I, Ramses II, and Ramses III, writes N+1. Thutmose IIʼs original burial place remained unknown.

“This is the first tomb of a pharaoh since the revolutionary discovery of Tutankhamun’s burial chamber in 1922. This is a remarkable moment for Egyptology and a broader understanding of our shared history,” said Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathi.

Almost nothing is known about Thutmose II. Scholars even argue about the length of his reign: some believe that he ruled for about three or four years, others that it was more than 14 years. The tomb that was found says little about his life. However, it proves that the pharaoh was buried by Hatshepsut, and not by his son Thutmose III.

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