BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II Discovered

First discovery of a pharaoh’s tomb since Tutankhamun

Fragments of alabaster jars and a wooden poll bearing the cartouche of Pharaoh Thutmose II. Courtesy Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

A joint Egyptian-British archaeological team has discovered the royal tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II (r. 1513–1500 BCE), marking the first discovery of a pharaoh’s tomb since that of Tutankhamen more than a century ago. Located near the Valley of Kings, west of Luxor, the tomb was originally thought to belong to a wife of one of the pharaohs. This assumption was based on its proximity to the tombs of Pharaoh Thutmose III’s wives, as well as the tomb of Pharaoh Hatshepsut, Thutmose II’s wife and successor. However, continued excavations revealed the surprising truth: alabaster jar fragments inscribed with the name of Thutmose II, identified as the “deceased king,” alongside inscriptions bearing the name of Hatshepsut.

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According to Mohamed Khaled, the Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, the find is “one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent years. The artifacts discovered there are an important addition to the history of the archaeological area and the reign of King Thutmose II, as the funerary furniture of this king was found for the first time, for whom there is no funerary furniture in museums around the world.”

The entrance to the tomb was discovered in 2022. It marked 100 years since the last tomb of a pharaoh was found, that of Tutankhamun in 1922. Thutmose II’s tomb was also the last undiscovered tomb of the pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty, during which Egypt reached the height of its power. According to Piers Litherland, the British director of the excavation, the tomb’s simple architectural design served as a prototype for later royal tombs of the 18th Dynasty, including that of Tutankhamun. It features a plastered corridor leading to the burial chamber, with the floor of the corridor elevated above the level of the burial chamber.

A poorly preserved chamber in the tomb of Thutmose II. Courtesy Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Unfortunately, Thutmose II’s tomb was poorly preserved due to flooding that occurred shortly after his death. Because of the flooding, much of the tomb’s contents, including the pharaoh’s mummified remains, were already removed in antiquity and taken to a secondary location. A mummy, suggested to be that of Thutmose II, was previously uncovered at the site of Deir el-Bahari, a mortuary complex that held the mummified remains of numerous pharaohs and royal family members whose tombs were damaged for various reasons. Among the other pharaohs in the cache were Thutmose I, Seti I, and Ramesses II. The royal mummies are now held in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo.

Related reading in Bible History Daily

Tutankhamun’s Centenary: 100 Years since the Discovery of King Tut’s Tomb

Study Finds Skin Cream Caused Egyptian Queen’s Death

Amulet with Cartouche of Thutmose III Discovered in Jerusalem

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