During the 19th century, the mummified remains of King Thutmose II were found not far from the current excavation site at Deir el-Bahari Cachette. It is believed that the tomb raiders looted the king’s tomb centuries ago, prompting the relocation of his mummy to its present location at the newly established National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Today, King Thutmose II’s mummy is among the royal relics showcased at the museum.
The tomb’s condition has significantly deteriorated due to exposure to floods that occurred shortly after the king’s passing, as explained by Mohamed Abdel Badie, the Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities and leader of the excavation team. Initial investigations suggest that much of the tomb’s original contents were transferred to a different site following the ancient floods.
Inside the tomb, remnants of blue inscriptions and yellow stars have been discovered in mortar, along with excerpts from the funerary book “Imydwat,” an essential guide for deceased royals navigating the underworld in ancient Egyptian beliefs. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities released images on February 18, 2025, unveiling the interior of the tomb located in the mount of Thebes area, situated west of Luxor and the famed Valley of the Kings, confirming its association with King Thutmose II of the Eighteenth Dynasty.
Dr. Piers Litherland, leading the English team at the site, described the tomb’s architectural simplicity, a common feature among the subsequent rulers of Egypt following Thutmose II’s reign. The mission aims to continue its investigation to trace the whereabouts of the remaining items from the king’s tomb and uncover any additional secrets buried beneath the earth for thousands of years.
