Egypt unveils King Thutmose II's tomb, first royal tomb discovery in over a century

The tomb of an 18th Dynasty ancient Egyptian king has been unveiled in the tourist southern city of Luxor, Egyptian authorities said, hailing it as the first royal tomb discovery in over a century.

Though Egypt celebrates royal tomb discoveries frequently, this stands out for being that of a former king rather than a member of the royal family.

The tomb of King Thutmose II was considered the last missing tomb of the 18th Dynasty kings.

This was the first find of its kind since British archaeologist Howard Carter unveiled King Tutankhamun's Tomb in 1922, Egypt's Antiquities Ministry said.

Thutmose II was an ancestor of Tutankhamun who lived nearly 3,500 years ago. His half-sister and queen consort was Pharaoh Hatshepsut, the famed Egyptian queen who was among only a few female royals to rule in their own right.

The tomb's entrance was initially discovered in late 2022, but excavators first thought the tomb belonged to a royal wife.

What did archeologists find in the tomb?

Unlike Tutankhamun's breathtaking resting place, the newly discovered tomb was found rather worse for wear and missing its mummy. Mohamed Abdel Badi, co-leader of the excavation mission, said the tomb was poorly preserved due to flooding shortly after the king's death.

"Water inundated the tomb, damaging its interior and necessitating extensive restoration work by the archaeological team to recover fallen plaster fragments," the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry said. "Preliminary studies suggest that the tomb's original contents were relocated to another site during ancient times after the flooding."

However, the ministry said the discovered artifacts were still of considerable value. They included funerary furniture that belonged to Thutmose II, which the ministry said could not be found in any museums.

Finds included as well the remains of plaster "featuring blue inscriptions, yellow star motifs, and portions of the Book of Amduat, a key religious text associated with royal tombs of ancient Egypt," the ministry said.

What is significant about the discovery?

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the discovery was among "the most significant archaeological breakthroughs in recent years."

"The artifacts found within the tomb provide critical insights into the history of the region and the reign of Thutmose II," he said.

Piers Latherland, who heads the mission's British team, said later royal tombs of the 18th Dynasty were modeled after the discovered tomb.

The simple design features an elevated corridor leading to the burial chamber. The tomb's contents, including King Thutmose II's mummy, are believed to have been relocated in the elevated corridor following the flooding before they were moved elsewhere.

The mission will continue its work, in the hopes of finding other contents of the tomb, Latherland said.