Latest news with #Amduat
National Geographic
25-02-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
The last missing tomb from this wealthy Egyptian dynasty has been found
But it is the first since Tut's found near the Valley of the Kings, an ancient royal graveyard a few miles west of modern Luxor in southern Egypt, where many powerful pharaohs and their families were buried in tombs cut into the desert cliffs. The Valley of the Kings was part of a vast "necropolis" or "city of the dead" beside the Nile and the ancient city of Thebes, the capital of Egypt at different times and center of worship of the god Amun. Archaeologists first discovered the tomb's entrance and passageway in October 2022 during explorations of a different tomb cut into the cliff above it. The passageway led to the tomb itself. Initially, researchers thought it belonged to a queen or lesser royal. But University of Cambridge archaeologist Piers Litherland, who led the excavation, points to two features that confirm it was the tomb of a pharaoh: walls decorated with hieroglyphic tracts from a kingly funereal text known as the "Amduat" and plaster fragments of a blue ceiling painted with yellow stars, a representation of the night sky. Finally, inscriptions on fragments in the rubble of alabaster "duck vessels"—small stone or pottery jars shaped like ducks that the ancient Egyptians used to hold cosmetics, perfumes, and ointments—identified the pharaoh as Thutmose II. Who was Pharaoh Thutmose II? Little is known about Thutmose II, who reigned as pharaoh from about 1493 B.C. until about 1479—more than 100 years before Tutankhamun lived, but part of the same 18th Dynasty of Egyptian kings. His rich collection of grave goods, which might be equal to Tut's, was removed from the tomb thousands of years ago, probably when priests relocated and reburied the king's mummy to protect it from flooding about 500 years after his death, Litherland says. The reburied mummy and those of other pharaohs—royal reburials were relatively common—were discovered nearer Thebes in the nineteenth century, and medical scans of his mummy a few year ago suggested Thutmose II may have died from heart failure. But the original tomb of Thutmose II had never been found, although Egyptologists knew that he must have had one. "It is the last missing tomb of the kings of the 18th Dynasty," Litherland says.
Express Tribune
21-02-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Archaeologists discover Thutmose II's tomb, first since King Tut in 1922
Photo: The entrance to the tomb of King Thutmose II, who ruled three-and-a-half thousand years ago/New Kingdom Research Foundation Listen to article In a landmark discovery, archaeologists have uncovered the first royal tomb of a pharaoh since the discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb over a century ago. King Thutmose II's tomb, the last undiscovered royal tomb of Egypt's 18th dynasty, was found by a British-Egyptian team in the Western Valleys of the Theban Necropolis, near Luxor. For years, researchers believed the tombs of 18th dynasty pharaohs were located over 2km away, in the Valley of the Kings. However, the team discovered the tomb in an area typically associated with royal women's resting places. Upon entering the burial chamber, they found key signs of a royal tomb, including a blue-painted ceiling with yellow stars – a hallmark of pharaohs' tombs. Field director Dr. Piers Litherland expressed his profound emotional response to the discovery. 'The emotion of getting into these things is just one of extraordinary bewilderment,' 'The only thing I could do was burst into tears.' The tomb of King Thutmose II was recently discovered by a joint British-Egyptian archaeological mission./Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities The discovery of Thutmose II's tomb solves the mystery of the location of early 18th dynasty royal tombs. Although Thutmose II's mummified remains were discovered two centuries ago, his tomb had remained elusive until now. Thutmose II, the husband of the famous Queen Hatshepsut, was an ancestor of Tutankhamun. Thutmose II's reign was marked by his marriage to Hatshepsut, one of Egypt's most powerful and influential female pharaohs. Dr. Litherland noted the grandeur of the tomb's design, which included a large staircase and descending corridor. The team navigated through flood debris and collapsed ceilings before entering the burial chamber, where they discovered scenes from the Amduat, a religious text reserved for kings. Photo: The location and entry to the royal tomb of King Thutmose II who ruled three-and-a-half thousand years ago/New Kingdom Research Foundation However, when the team cleared the debris, they found the tomb was empty, not because it had been robbed, but because it had been deliberately emptied after flooding caused by a waterfall. Artifacts found, including fragments of alabaster jars inscribed with Thutmose II and Hatshepsut's names, confirmed the tomb's identity. These fragments of alabaster, which had broken during the tomb's relocation, were crucial in verifying the tomb's owner. Dr. Litherland and his team, who have worked at the site for over 12 years, now believe that a second tomb may still be intact and could contain treasures. Photo: Fragments of alabaster vessel of Pharaoh Thutmose II/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities The discovery is part of the joint work of Dr. Litherland's New Kingdom Research Foundation and Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, who have previously unearthed 54 tombs and identified over 30 royal wives and court women. 'This is the first royal tomb to be discovered since King Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922,' said Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy. 'This discovery is a defining moment for Egyptology and offers a deeper understanding of our shared human history.' Thutmose II's Role and Legacy Thutmose II, the fourth ruler of the 18th dynasty, reigned during the early 15th century BCE and is perhaps best remembered as the husband of Hatshepsut, one of Egypt's greatest female pharaohs. Despite his relatively short reign, Thutmose II played a crucial role in consolidating Egypt's power and ensuring the dynasty's continuity. While Thutmose II's reign was not marked by significant military conquests, he did carry out campaigns in the southern regions of Egypt and the land of Kush (modern-day Sudan). However, his reign is often considered overshadowed by Hatshepsut's long and prosperous rule after his death. Interestingly, after Thutmose II's death, Hatshepsut became the sole ruler of Egypt, leading some historians to suggest that Thutmose II was a weak ruler who played little role in governance. In fact, some believe Hatshepsut took on the role of de facto ruler long before his death. Although Thutmose II's tomb is modest compared to those of later pharaohs, its discovery sheds new light on his role in the early 18th dynasty and his relationship with Hatshepsut. His military campaigns in the south and the monument dedicated to his reign, which was likely completed by Hatshepsut, highlight the political dynamics of their time. Legacy and continued discovery The empty tomb, along with its unique location near royal wives' tombs, offers valuable insight into Thutmose II's status during his reign. This discovery, though less grandiose than Tutankhamun's tomb, will enhance understanding of the political landscape of ancient Egypt and the significant roles of both Thutmose II and Hatshepsut. The excavation of Thutmose II's tomb is just the beginning. Researchers suspect there may be additional royal tombs awaiting discovery in the area, possibly containing treasures and other significant artifacts from the reign of the 18th dynasty. Dr. Litherland's team, working with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, will continue their efforts to explore the region and further uncover the secrets of Egypt's ancient rulers.
The Guardian
19-02-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
First new pharaoh's tomb to be found in over a century discovered in Egypt
It was when British archeologist Dr Piers Litherland saw that the ceiling of the burial chamber was painted blue with yellow stars that he realised he had just discovered the first tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh to be found in more than a century. Litherland had been exploring the Valley of the Kings in Egypt for more than a decade when he discovered a staircase which led to the tomb, now known to have belonged to Thutmose II, who reigned from 1493 to 1479BC. It took months to clear flood debris from the descending corridor and during this time, he and his team assumed the tomb belonged to a royal wife. But as soon as he saw the ceiling of the burial chamber had been decorated with scenes from the Amduat, a religious text reserved for kings, he knew he had made what has since been hailed as the most significant discovery since Tutankhamun. He felt an 'extraordinary sort of bewilderment' at that moment, he told the BBC World Service. 'When I came out, my wife was waiting outside and the only thing I could do was burst into tears.' He then set about clearing the flood debris, expecting to find the crushed remains of a burial underneath it. 'In fact, the tomb turned out to be completely empty, not because it had been robbed, but because it had been deliberately emptied. We then worked out that the tomb had been flooded. It had been built underneath a waterfall, and it had filled with water at some stage within about six years of the burial.' The remains of the king were taken out through a subsidiary corridor and moved somewhere else, he said. 'It was only gradually, as we sifted through all the material – tons and tons of broken limestone – that we discovered these small fragments of alabaster, which named Thutmose II.' The fragments were probably broken when the tomb was moved, he said. 'And thank goodness they did actually break one or two things, because that's how we found out whose tomb it was.' The discovery was made by a joint mission formed by the New Kingdom Research Foundation, a British independent academic foundation, and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, a project affiliated with the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge.
Sky News
19-02-2025
- Science
- Sky News
Tomb of Egyptian pharaoh found in 'remarkable discovery' - the first since Tutankhamun
The tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh has been found for the first time since Tutankhamun was discovered in 1922. In what has been dubbed a "remarkable discovery", the tomb of Thutmose II, the last missing royal tomb of the 18th dynasty, was found in the Western Valleys of the Theban Necropolis in Egypt. The tomb was uncovered by a joint British-Egyptian mission, about 1.5 miles west of the Valley of the Kings in Luxor's western mountain region. Objects recovered from the mission included fragments of alabaster jars (used to store perfumes, oils, and ointments) inscribed with the name Pharaoh Thutmose II, as well as inscriptions bearing the name of his wife Queen Hatshepsut - who became one of Egypt's few female pharaohs who ruled in her own right. For the first time ever, funeral furniture belonging to the pharaoh was found, according to Egypt 's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. No funeral furniture of Thutmose II currently exists in any museum worldwide. The mission was formed by the New Kingdom Research Foundation (NKRF), a British independent academic foundation, and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, a project affiliated to the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge. "This discovery solves a great mystery of Ancient Egypt: the location of the tombs of the early 18th dynasty kings," said mission leader and field director Piers Litherland. "The tomb of this ancestor of Tutankhamun had never been found because it was always thought to be at the other end of the mountain near the Valley of the Kings. "Initially we thought we might have found the tomb of a royal wife, but the wide staircase and the large doorway suggested something more important. "The discovery that the burial chamber had been decorated with scenes from the Amduat, a religious text which is reserved for kings, was immensely exciting and was the first indication that this was a king's tomb." Thutmose II died 3,500 years ago. He is believed to have ruled for around 14 years, from about 1493 to 1479 BCE, and fathered one child, Thutmose III. Mohamed Abdel Badi, head of the Egyptian antiquities sector and co-leader of the mission, said the tomb was discovered in a poor state due to flooding that occurred shortly after the pharaoh's death. Archaeological evidence suggests the contents were moved to a second tomb due to the flood. Mohsen Kamel, assistant field director, said: "The possible existence of a second, and most likely intact, tomb of Thutmose II is an astonishing possibility."
Egypt Today
19-02-2025
- General
- Egypt Today
Discovery of King Thutmose II's Tomb: Last Missing 18th Dynasty Royal Burial Uncovered
The joint Egyptian-English archaeological mission, affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the New Kingdom Research Foundation, has announced the discovery of the tomb of King Thutmose II. This is the last missing tomb of the 18th Dynasty kings in Egypt and the first royal tomb to be found since the discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. The discovery occurred during excavations and archaeological studies of Tomb C4, whose entrance and main passage were found in 2022 in Valley C, within the Theban mountain west of Luxor. The site is located approximately 2.4 kilometers west of the Valley of the Kings, and evidence suggests that it belongs to King Thutmose II. Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that the team initially believed the tomb belonged to the wife of one of the Thutmosid kings when they discovered its entrance and main corridor in October 2022. This assumption was based on the tomb's proximity to the burial sites of the wives of King Thutmose III and Queen Hatshepsut's tomb, which had been prepared for her as a royal wife before she took the throne as a ruling queen and was buried in the Valley of the Kings. However, during this excavation season, the mission uncovered new archaeological evidence confirming that the tomb's owner was King Thutmose II. They also found that Hatshepsut oversaw his burial as both his wife and half-sister. Dr. Khaled stated that fragments of alabaster vessels found in the tomb bore inscriptions with the name of King Thutmose II, referring to him as 'the deceased king,' alongside the name of his principal wife, Queen Hatshepsut, confirming the tomb's ownership. Mohamed Abdel-Badia, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities and leader of the mission from the Egyptian side, reported that the tomb was found in poor condition due to flash floods that occurred shortly after the king's death, submerging the site. This damage led the archaeological team to remove and restore fallen plaster fragments. Preliminary studies suggest that the tomb's primary contents were relocated elsewhere in ancient times after the flooding. Abdel-Badia added that the discovered plaster fragments feature traces of blue inscriptions, yellow stars on the ceiling, decorative elements, and passages from the Amduat—one of the most significant religious texts associated with royal tombs in ancient Egypt. Dr. Piers Litherland, head of the mission from the English side, highlighted that the tomb's architecture is relatively simple, serving as a prototype for the tombs of all Egyptian kings who ruled after Thutmose II during the 18th Dynasty. The tomb includes a corridor covered with a layer of white plaster, leading to the burial chamber through the main passage. The floor of this passage is about 1.4 meters higher than the burial chamber's floor, suggesting it was used to transfer the tomb's primary contents, including Thutmose II's body after the site was flooded. Dr. Litherland added that the mission will continue its two-year-long archaeological survey in the area to uncover more secrets about this region and determine where the remaining contents of Thutmose II's tomb were relocated.
