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A royal grave belonging to an ancient Egyptian king was discovered, while it was called a “wonderful” discovery by officials.
The country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a press statement on Tuesday that the joint Egyptian -British archaeological mission determined the grave as belonging to King Thutumos II, an ancient Egyptian king, ruled between 2000 and 1001 BC.
The ministry said that the site is initially located as “Tomb C4”, and the site is located about 2.4 km (1.5 miles) west of the Valley of the Kings in the Kamur area in Egypt.
When the archaeological team first discovered the entrance and corridor of the grave in 2022, they believed that he belonged to one of the wives of kings. This was based on his proximity to the grave of Queen Hatshepsut and the graves of the wives of King Thutumos III. Muhammad Ismail Khaled, Secretary -General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained in the statement.
But over the years, the joint mission, led by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the New Kingdom Research Foundation, revealed another story: the grave actually belongs to Thutmose II.
The tomb of King Thutumos II was recently discovered through a British and Egyptian archaeological mission. – The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Pierce Leadland, the field director of the Kingdom’s New Research Foundation, said his team was surprised by the discovery.
“We, like many others, believed that this was the valley (the valley) linked to royal women,” Lithland told CNN on Wednesday.
The location of the grave is also very unusual for the king.
He said: “The cemetery is located in a bad place to choose under two waterfalls and on the bottom of the slope that would have poured water (and its action) in the wet weather in the eighteenth family.”
Among the evidence indicating Thutmose II shrapnel of alabaster jars found in his name, with his determination as the “deceased king” in addition to inscriptions in the name of his wife and sister, his sister, Queen Hatibsut.
This discovery represents one of the most important archaeological breaches in recent years, according to Khaled, who added that the artifacts in the grave will provide a critical view of the history of the region and the rule of the king.
Little is known about Thutmose II. Even scientists discuss the length of his rule, which could have been less than three, four years, or more than 14.
“It is not yet much telling us about his life,” Litland said about the discovery of the grave. “However, he tells us that he was buried by Al -Hashibsut and not by his son, the infant III. It was the duty of the kings to buried their predecessors.”
Litherland believes this could explain why the younger Thutmose was “very eager” to separate himself from Hathebsuts, and “emphasize his prayers with his father and grandfather.”
The archaeological team managed to recover the shrapnel of plaster falling in the grave, including remnants with blue inscriptions and yellow stars. – The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
The grave was poorly preserved due to the floods that are likely to occur shortly after the death of the king. – The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
The grave was found in a bad state of preservation, due to the floods that would have occurred shortly after the death of the king, according to Mohamed Abdel -Badi, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector and the leader of the mission. The internal water was damaged from the grave, with preliminary studies indicating that its original contents are likely to be transferred to another location.
However, the archaeological team managed to restore the shrapnel of plaster falling in the grave. Among them are the remains of plaster that feature blue inscriptions, yellow stars decorations, and parts of the AMDUAT book, a religious text linked to the ancient Egyptian royal tombs.
Litherland pointed out that the simple architectural design of the grave was a preliminary model of the subsequent royal tombs of the eighteenth dynasty. He added that the task will continue to work to reveal more secrets of the region and determine the final resting place for the original contents of the grave.
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