A joint Egyptian-British archaeological mission led by Pearce Litherland from the University of Cambridge recently shared exciting news about a rare discovery. Near Luxor, researchers stumbled upon the tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II from the 18th Dynasty. HouseWife has taken note of this event, especially since it marks the first pharaoh’s tomb found since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s burial over 100 years ago.
As if that weren’t enough, another sensation emerged. The same team of archaeologists announced that there is yet another pharaoh’s tomb nearby, but they still need to reach it.
These discoveries may be connected
British Egyptologist Pearce Litherland suggested that both tombs likely belong to Pharaoh Thutmose II, who was an ancestor of Tutankhamun and ruled Egypt around 3,500 years ago.
While investigating the first burial, which turned out to be empty, Litherland found evidence that the mummified remains of the pharaoh may have been moved by his wife, Hatshepsut. Archaeologists discovered that the tomb had been looted within six years of Thutmose II’s death in 1479 B.C.
It is likely that Hatshepsut reburied her husband’s body due to flooding of the original tomb, which was located beneath a waterfall. (Interestingly, all the pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty, to which Thutmose II belonged, were buried under waterfalls.)
Pearce Litherland and his team hope that in the second tomb, covered by a 23-meter layer of limestone debris, ash, and dirt, they will find the mummified body of Thutmose II along with associated artifacts. Researchers are currently exploring ways to safely access the burial site, as reported by the Daily Mail.
The plan is to slowly and manually separate the massive boulders of stone and limestone. The excavation leader noted, “We tried to dig a tunnel there, to cut the walls, but there are overhanging rocks, so it’s too dangerous.” Despite this, the scientist optimistically suggested, “We should be able to dismantle everything in about a month.”
Pearce Litherland, who has been fascinated by Ancient Egypt since childhood, remarked on these discoveries: “You dream of such things. But, like winning the lottery, you never believe it will happen to you.”
The first and second discoveries have been confirmed by the New Kingdom Research Foundation (a British independent academic organization) and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, who congratulated Litherland’s team on this extraordinary double discovery.