More than 100 years after Howard Carter’s legendary discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, a joint British-Egyptian team, led by Dr. Piers Litherland, has uncovered the long-lost burial site of Thutmose II, hidden deep in the Western Valleys of the Theban Necropolis near Luxor.

The location of Thutmose II’s final resting place had remained one of Egypt’s great historical mysteries. While his mummified remains were uncovered two centuries ago in the Deir el-Bahri Cache, the original tomb had vanished—until now.

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Court of Antiquities, called the find:

“One of the most significant archaeological breakthroughs in recent years.”

The tomb was first discovered in 2022, but at the time, researchers believed it belonged to a royal wife from the Thutmosid dynasty—a powerful lineage of pharaohs named Thutmose who ruled during the 18th Dynasty.

However, further excavation and analysis of hieroglyphic inscriptions, ancient funerary texts, and artifacts revealed that the tomb was actually the lost burial site of Thutmose II himself, who died in 1479 B.C. after a brief reign.

His death paved the way for one of Egypt’s most powerful female rulers—his wife and half-sister, Hatshepsut, who would reign for 21 years, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy.

Upon entering the tomb, the archaeological team was met with unmistakable signs of royal burial:

• Inscriptions from the “Amduat”, an ancient funerary text exclusively reserved for pharaohs.
• Alabaster jar fragments bearing the names of Thutmose II and Hatshepsut.
• A stunning blue ceiling adorned with yellow stars, a design meant to reflect the heavens.

But there was one shocking twist—the tomb itself was completely empty.

Unlike many ancient tombs that fell victim to grave robbers, this one had been deliberately emptied. Researchers now believe the site was hit by catastrophic flooding, as it had been built beneath a waterfall.

“Preliminary studies suggest that the tomb’s original contents were relocated to another site during ancient times after the flooding,” said Mohamed Abdel-Badii, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Although the tomb has been found, the mystery is far from over.

Dr. Piers Litherland and his team remain determined to uncover what happened to the tomb’s original contents and where they were relocated.

“We will continue our work to uncover more secrets of the area and locate the final resting place of the tomb’s original contents,” Litherland said.

With every brushstroke and excavation, history is slowly revealing the lost legacy of Thutmose II—and perhaps, even more hidden treasures waiting to be found.