First pharaoh's tomb found in Egypt since Tutankhamun's

A remarkable discovery has been made in Egypt, as Egyptologists have uncovered the tomb of King Thutmose II, marking the first pharaoh's tomb found since the famous tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered over a century ago. King Thutmose II ruled approximately three thousand five hundred years ago and his tomb was located in the Western Valleys of the Theban Necropolis, near the city of Luxor. This area is known for its rich history and numerous tombs of ancient Egyptian royalty. Researchers had previously believed that the burial sites of the 18th dynasty pharaohs were situated more than two kilometers away, closer to the Valley of the Kings. However, the team was surprised to find the tomb in a region typically associated with the resting places of royal women. Upon entering the burial chamber, they were greeted with stunning decorations, a clear indication that they had indeed found a pharaoh's tomb. The entrance to the tomb was surrounded by rock, and the ceiling inside was adorned with blue paint and yellow stars. Dr. Piers Litherland, the field director of the mission, expressed his overwhelming emotions upon this discovery, stating, 'The emotion of getting into these things is just one of extraordinary bewilderment. ' He described the moment as emotionally turbulent, and when he emerged from the tomb, he was so moved that he burst into tears. This significant discovery has helped to solve the long-standing mystery regarding the location of the tombs of early 18th dynasty kings. Although researchers had found the mummified remains of Thutmose II two centuries ago, the original burial site had remained elusive until now. Thutmose II is known to be an ancestor of King Tutankhamun, who reigned from around 1493 to 1479 BC. The tomb of Tutankhamun was famously discovered by British archaeologists in 1922 and was filled with incredible treasures. Thutmose II is also recognized for being the husband of Queen Hatshepsut, one of Egypt's most renowned pharaohs and one of the few female pharaohs to rule in her own right. Dr. Litherland noted that the tomb featured a large staircase and a spacious descending corridor, suggesting a sense of grandeur. However, the team faced challenges in navigating through the tomb due to flood debris and collapsed ceilings. They had to crawl through a narrow passageway measuring ten meters long, with a small gap at the top, before finally reaching the burial chamber. Inside, they discovered the beautiful blue ceiling and decorations depicting scenes from the Amduat, a religious text reserved for kings. This was another key indicator that they had indeed found a king's tomb. As they began to clear the debris, they anticipated finding the remains of a burial beneath the rubble. However, to their surprise, 'the tomb turned out to be completely empty,' Dr. Litherland explained. 'Not because it was robbed but because it had been deliberately emptied. ' They later determined that the tomb had been flooded shortly after the king's burial, leading to the contents being relocated to another site in ancient times. While sifting through tons of limestone in the chamber, the team discovered fragments of alabaster jars inscribed with the names of Thutmose II and Hatshepsut. Dr. Litherland remarked, 'And thank goodness they actually did break one or two things because that's how we found out whose tomb it was. ' These fragments are the first artifacts associated with Thutmose II's burial to be found. Dr. Litherland's team has a rough idea of where the second tomb might be located, and they believe it could still contain treasures. The discovery of the pharaoh's tomb is the culmination of over twelve years of dedicated work by the joint team from Dr. Litherland's New Kingdom Research Foundation and Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The team has previously excavated fifty-four tombs in the western part of the Theban mountain in Luxor and has also identified more than thirty royal wives and court women. Egypt's minister of tourism and antiquities, Sherif Fathy, stated, 'This is the first royal tomb to be discovered since the ground-breaking find of King Tutankhamun's burial chamber in 1922. ' He emphasized that this is an extraordinary moment for Egyptology and for the broader understanding of our shared human story.