Treasures of the ancient world: Pharaoh's tomb, which remained a secret for more than a century, is found

In Egypt, archaeologists have discovered the tomb of King Thutmose II, who ruled in the Nile Valley between 1492 and 1479 BC. This is the first discovery of a royal tomb in the last 100 years since the sensational discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922.

It is reported by CBS News. The tomb of Thutmose II was found thanks to a joint Egyptian-British archaeological expedition near Mount Thebes, located west of Luxor, near the Valley of the Kings. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the work was carried out on the territory of Tomb C4.

The entrance to the tomb and the main passage were discovered back in 2022, after which researchers began thorough internal excavations. Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, noted that archaeologists initially assumed that the tomb belonged to one of the pharaoh's wives. After all, the tombs of the wives of King Thutmose III and Queen Hatshepsut have already been found nearby.

In the course of further excavations and study of artifacts, archaeologists received new evidence that allowed them to identify the true owner of the tomb -– it was King Tuthmosis II. According to one version, it was his wife and half-sister, Queen Hatshepsut, who organized the pharaoh's burial.

Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled noted that the fragments of alabaster vessels found among the ruins contain inscriptions with the name of Tuthmosis II, where he is referred to as the "dead king." The name of his wife Hatshepsut was also found there. This evidence helped confirm that Thutmose II is the owner of this tomb.

Dr. Khaled characterized this discovery as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of recent years. The discovered artifacts are a valuable addition to the overall picture of the history of the region and the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose II.

Interestingly, the mummy of Thutmose II was found in the XIX century, as a century after his death, the pharaoh's body was reburied in another place after the looting of the original tomb. Today, this mummy is one of the most important exhibits at the Cairo Museum of Antiquities.

Unfortunately, the tomb itself is in extremely poor condition. In addition to having been looted in ancient times, it also suffered significant damage due to flooding during the floods. As a result, most of its original contents were either lost or moved to other places.

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