Archaeologists have unearthed the first royal burial chamber since King Tutankhamun’s (c. 1341- c.1323 BCE) was found over a century ago. The long-lost tomb, located near the Valley of the Kings in West Luxor, belonged to King Thutmose II who reigned from about 1493 to 1479 BCE.

A joint British-Egyptian delegation first discovered the entrance to the poorly preserved tomb, dubbed No. C4, in 2022. Inside, a long corridor covered with a layer of white plaster leads to a chamber where the floor level rises by 1.4 metres.

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, the secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, described this find as “one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent years”.

The archaeology team initially believed the tomb was for a wife of an ancient Kings, but soon uncovered evidence that suggested otherwise. Traces of blue inscriptions and yellow stars on tile fragments, as well as decorations from the important funerary book Imduat, were found in the structure.  For the first time ever, archaeologists found the funerary furniture of Thutmose II alongside alabaster vessels inscribed with the “deceased king” and the name of Hatshepsut, his principal wife and half-sister.

Much of the tomb was damaged due to flooding that occurred shortly after the entombment. The mummy of the king, which was discovered in 1881, had been moved as a result to a nearby site known as the Deir el-Bahari Cachette.

Little is known about Thutmose II, who was the fourth Pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty. Dying before the age of 30, he is generally considered less historically important than other members of his illustrious family. His sister-wife, Hatshepsut, is thought to have been the real power behind the throne.

Archaeologists are expected to continue work on the unprecedented site for another two years.