'Most significant find in 100 years' discovered in 3,500 Egyptian tomb

Daily Mirror

5 hours ago

The tomb is believed to have belonged to King Thutmose II, who ruled Egypt in the early 15th century BC. It is the first major discovery since the tomb of King Tutankhamun was found in 1922
A "first time" discovery of an ancient tomb in Egypt has been unveiled as the final resting place of King Thutmose II, the Egyptian authorities have announced.
The remarkable find is hailed as the most significant since the unearthing of King Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), described the approximately 3,500 year old tomb as one of the most important Egyptian discoveries in recent history.
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"This is the first time funerary furniture belonging to Thutmose II has been discovered, as no such items exist in museums worldwide," he told Egypt's State Information Service.
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The tomb was located by Egyptian archaeologists and British experts in the Theban mountains area, west of Luxor and near the famed Valley of the Kings, this February.
Initially, when the tomb was unearthed three years ago, archaeologists believed the entrance and main corridor were part of the burial sites for the wives of the kings due to its location near the tombs of King Thutmose III's wives and Queen Hatshepsut, the sole female pharaoh of Egypt, explained Khalid, reports the Mirror US.
Flooding had previously hampered efforts to identify the tomb's owner, said Mohamed Abdel Badie, who led the Egyptian excavation team.
However, artefacts unearthed within the tomb, including shards of alabaster jars, carried inscriptions bearing the names of Thutmose II and his chief wife, Queen Hatshepsut, conclusively identifying the tomb's occupants.
Experts have also deduced that Queen Hatshepsut, who was both the king's wife and half-sister, presided over Thutmose II's burial. The Egyptian authorities believe the artefacts found in the tomb significantly enhance our understanding of the region's history and Thutmose II's reign.
The dig, which kicked off in 2022, has been a joint effort with specialists from the UK's New Kingdom Research Foundation.
King Thutmose II's mummy was discovered during the 19th century at another archaeological site known as the Deir el-Bahari Cachette, not too far away.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization suggests it was likely relocated there, centuries after tomb raiders had plundered it. His mummy is now on display alongside other ancient royals at the museum.