They Discovered the Last Lost Tomb of a Pharaoh From Egypt's Eighteenth Dynasty.

Recently,  a team of archaeologists discovered the tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II, marking the first royal crypt found in years in Egypt. This new discovery, which captured global attention, could transform our understanding of Ancient Egyptian history, especially about the 15th century BC. The discovery holds significant value for both archaeology and modern Egyptology.

In October 2022, a group of British and Egyptian archaeologists found the entrance to a tomb near the Valley of the Kings in southern Egypt, after investigating another nearby sepulcher. Initially, it was thought that the tomb belonged to a queen or a minor member of the royalty, but upon further investigation, elements were identified indicating it was the tomb of a pharaoh.

Piers Litherland, an archaeologist from the University of Cambridge and leader of the excavation, discovered funerary hieroglyphs and fragments of a ceiling painted with stars, which suggested  the royal identity of the owner. Additionally, inscriptions were found on small alabaster jars, known as  "duck vases," which confirmed that the tomb belonged to Thutmose II.

The historical importance of Thutmose II's Tomb

The newly discovered tomb is located more than a kilometer from the Valley of the Kings and fills a gap in archaeological knowledge about the Egyptian royal necropolis. Before this finding, archaeologists knew that Thutmose II must have had a tomb, but it had never been found. This discovery also suggests that other royal tombs, such as those of Thutmose I and Amenhotep I, might be nearby.

The figure of Thutmose II

Thutmose II ruled Egypt between 1493 BC and 1479 BC. His reign, although relatively short, consolidated his father Thutmose I's conquests in Nubia and Syria. His marriage to Queen Hatshepsut, who would later rule Egypt as pharaoh for over 20 years, also marked his legacy.

Despite the few records about his life, his name has occasionally been linked to the pharaoh of the Book of Exodus, although there is no evidence of this connection.

The discovery of Thutmose II's tomb highlights the advancements in Egyptology, especially with the use of modern technologies such as X-ray tomography and ancient DNA analysis. These methods have not only allowed the discovery of details about the lives of the pharaohs but also about the art and craftsmanship of ancient Egypt. An example is the analysis of a staff found in Thutmose II's tomb, made of African blackwood, known as "pharaoh's ebony," which reveals information about the trade networks of the time.

The conclusions of the finding

This discovery highlights that there are still many secrets to uncover in Egypt, even after more than 200 years of excavations. Technological advances in archaeology continue to surprise the scientific community, and the finding of Thutmose II's tomb is a clear example of how knowledge about the ancient Egyptian civilization continues to expand and enrich our understanding of history.

This new finding  not only enriches the history of the 18th Dynasty but also demonstrates that, despite the passage of time, Egypt still holds secrets to be discovered.