Remarkable Discovery: New Pharaohs Tomb Unearthed in Egypt After Tutankhamun

The New Kingdom Research Foundation has made a groundbreaking archaeological discovery: the first royal tomb of an 18th-dynasty pharaoh since Tutankhamun’s was unearthed over a century ago. This monumental find belongs to King Thutmose II, who ruled approximately three-and-a-half thousand years ago.

A collaborative effort between British and Egyptian researchers has led to the identification of King Thutmose IIs tomb within the Western Valleys of Theban Necropolis near Luxor. Initially, experts believed that 18th-dynasty pharaohs were buried more than two kilometers away from their royal women’s resting places, closer to the Valley of the Kings.

The team stumbled upon this discovery in a location typically associated with female royals. However, upon entering the burial chamber and observing its intricate blue-painted ceiling adorned with yellow stars C decorations exclusively reserved for kings tombs C they realized their magnitude. Dr. Piers Litherland, the field director of the mission, expressed his profound emotional reaction to this unexpected find.

“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,” he shared with the BBCs Newshour programme. “And when I came out, my wife was waiting outside and the only thing I could do was burst into tears.”

This discovery sheds light on a centuries-old mystery regarding the location of early 18th-dynasty kings’ tombs. While King Thutmose II’s mummified remains were discovered two centuries ago, his original burial site had remained unknown until now.

Thutmose II was an ancestor of Tutankhamun and ruled from approximately 1493 to 1479 BC. He is notably known as the husband of Queen Hatshepsut, one of Egypts most celebrated pharaohs who ruled in her own right. The tomb’s grandeur becomes evident through its large staircase and extensive descending corridor.

Accessing these chambers was a challenging task due to flood debris and collapsed ceilings. Dr. Litherland recounted the harrowing experience: “It took us a very long time to get through all that, as it was blocked by flood debris and the ceilings had collapsed.” However, after crawling through a 10-meter passageway with only a small gap at its top, they finally reached the burial chamber.

The team found evidence of royal grandeur in the blue-painted ceiling depicting scenes from the Amduat C a religious text reserved for kings. Despite these signs suggesting it was indeed a kings tomb, they discovered that Thutmose II’s remains had been deliberately removed; not because of robbery but due to flooding shortly after his burial.

Following their extensive excavation efforts in tonnes of limestone within the chamber, they managed to uncover fragments of alabaster jars inscribed with King Thutmose II and Queen Hatshepsuts names. Dr. Litherland explained: “And thank goodness they actually did break one or two things because that’s how we found out whose tomb it was.”

These artefacts represent the first objects associated with Thutmose II’s burial. The New Kingdom Research Foundation, in collaboration with Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, has previously excavated 54 tombs within the western part of Theban mountain near Luxor and identified more than thirty royal wives and court women.

“This is the first royal tomb to be discovered since the groundbreaking find of King Tutankhamun’s burial chamber in 1922,” said Egypts Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy. “It is an extraordinary moment for Egyptology and the broader understanding of our shared human story.”

The discovery not only enriches our knowledge about ancient Egyptian royalty but also provides valuable insights into their burial practices and the historical events that led to these royal remains being relocated.