Egypt Unveils First Royal Tomb Since Tutankhamun’s Discovery
Egypt recently revealed the tomb of the ancient king Thutmose II, being the first royal tomb found since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. The tomb is located near the Valley of the Kings in the city of Luxor and had been nearly close to 3500 years ago during the 18th dynasty of Egypt.
King Thutmose II was the husband of Queen Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s most powerful female pharaohs. It is noted that he is an ancestor of the well known Tutankhamun. The Britain and Egyptian team jointly found a number of significant artifacts such as alabaster jars with the king’s name and inscriptions associated with his queen.
While the contents of the tomb were transferred in ancient times, so that the burial chamber had no mummy or the rich treasures discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb, the discovery remains one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of recent years. Among the items found are fragments of funerary furniture and sections of the Book of Amduat, an ancient Egyptian book dealing with the afterlife.
Flooding shortly after the king’s burial destroyed sections of the tomb, but the team hopes to retrieve more objects from the site. The discovery puts an end to the hunt for royal tombs of Egypt’s 18th dynasty and is a new addition to Egypt’s rich history.