Compared to his royal family members, King Thutmose II does not get much attention. Depending on the documentation, the monarch ruled only 13 years on ancient Egypt (1493-1479 BC) maximum and possibly only three (1482-1479 BC). Egyptologists tend to concentrate more on his father, Thutmose III; Half -sister and Woman, Queen Hatshepsut; and son, Thutmose II.
But that does not make the discovery of his final resting place less important. On February 18 the Egyptian government has announced That an international team of archaeologists has finally confirmed the location of the grave – making the first and most important royal find since the identification of the grave of King Tutankhamun in 1922.
The story of restoring the remains of Thutmose II dates from the 19th century, when researchers found the king’s mummified body in what is known as the Deir El-Bahari Cachette. But the site was clearly not the original location of the mummy, so experts were about the place of residence of the original grave of Thutmose II for more than a century.
In 2022, experts unveiled a site a few miles west of Luxor and the Valley of Kings, which they have referred to as Tomb No. C4. Given the relative simplicity and location near the grave of Queen Hatshepsut, archaeologists initially theoretized no. C4 one of the women of King Thutmose III. The room and the functions were badly damaged by floods, making it difficult to understand the overall context of it. Further excavation also resulted in the discovery of a second, smaller corridor that was thought to have been the tunnel of a thief.
“Despite its meaning, the grave was found in poor condition, flooded in ancient times shortly after the king’s death. Water damage caused serious decline, which led to the loss of many original content, which it is believed to have been moved during ancient times, “said Mohamed Abdel Badei, head of the ancient Egyptian antiquity sector and Projectco-Lead, in a statement.
But despite the floods, the safe was not deprived of artifacts – and what archaeologists found actually confirmed the original inhabitants of the grave. According to that of Egypt Ministry of Tourism and AntiquesAlabaster Vaas fragments described not only the name of Thutmose II, but also his final status as a ‘deceased king’. Other finds included plaster and decorated with yellow stars, along with parts of the book Amduat, an important religious text used during Egyptian Royalty Gray Rituals. Researchers could also confirm that Queen Hatshepsut-one of the only two queens who are known to oversee the ancient Egypt the funeral of her husband and half-brother or sister.
Further analysis does not only seem to resolve the reason for removing the mummy from Thutmose II, but also the purpose of the Mystery Corridor. Researchers now believe that it was not robbers who built the tunnel, but royal servants who saved the remains of the king of the flooded room. While the excavation continues, archaeologists hope to learn even more answers about life during the short regime of Thutmose II, as well as details about the rescue effort to restore his body from the flooded grave.
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