For centuries, the tomb of King Thutmose II was one of the missing pieces of Egypt’s royal history. That changed when an Egyptian-British archaeological mission identified his long-lost tomb in the Theban mountains west of Luxor.
The discovery, announced in February 2025, was especially important because it was the first royal tomb discovered since the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. Even more remarkably, the evidence inside the tomb revealed a close connection to one of ancient Egypt’s most famous rulers: Queen Hatshepsut.
Who Was Thutmose II?
Thutmose II was the fourth king of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty and the son of Thutmose I. He married his half-sister Hatshepsut, strengthening his royal position.
His reign was relatively short, probably less than five years, although the exact length remains debated. He was succeeded by Thutmose III, his son by his secondary wife Iset. With Hatshepsut, Thutmose II had two daughters, Neferure and Neferubity.
Although Thutmose II left fewer monuments than some of the great kings of the New Kingdom, historical records associate him with military campaigns in Nubia and the Sinai region, as well as building activity at Karnak and other locations.
How Was the Lost Tomb Discovered?
The tomb was identified as Tomb C4 in the Wadi C area of the Theban mountain, about 2.4 kilometers west of the Valley of the Kings.
Archaeologists first discovered the entrance and main corridor in 2022. At first, they believed the tomb might have belonged to a royal woman because of its location near the tombs associated with the royal family and Queen Hatshepsut.
Further excavation, however, revealed evidence that changed the identification completely.
Fragments of alabaster vessels discovered inside the tomb carried inscriptions naming Thutmose II as the deceased king and mentioning his principal royal wife, Hatshepsut.
These inscriptions provided crucial evidence identifying the owner of the tomb.
Hatshepsut’s Role in His Burial
Perhaps the most fascinating part of the discovery is Hatshepsut’s connection to the burial of Thutmose II.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Hatshepsut was not only the king’s wife and half-sister but also the person who oversaw his burial. This gives the discovery an important connection to Hatshepsut’s own rise to power.
Hatshepsut later became one of Egypt’s most successful female rulers, first serving as regent for the young Thutmose III and eventually ruling as pharaoh herself.
The tomb therefore provides another piece of the story behind the royal family that shaped Egypt during the early Eighteenth Dynasty.
A Tomb Damaged by Ancient Floods
The tomb was not found in perfect condition.
Archaeologists determined that it had been badly damaged by flooding soon after the king's death. Water entered the tomb and damaged its contents, and evidence suggests that important funerary objects, including the king's burial, were later moved elsewhere.
This damage helps explain why relatively little funerary equipment belonging to Thutmose II was previously known.
The discovery is particularly significant because archaeologists found funerary material associated with the king for the first time.
Ancient Egyptian Decoration Inside the Tomb
Despite the damage, fragments of plaster preserved traces of decoration.
Archaeologists found remains of blue inscriptions, yellow stars representing the sky, and passages from the Amduat, an important religious text associated with royal burials in ancient Egypt.
The architectural design of the tomb is also significant. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities describes its simple layout as an early form of the design that became characteristic of royal tombs during the later part of the Eighteenth Dynasty.
Why Is the Discovery Important?
The tomb of Thutmose II is more than another archaeological discovery.
It helps historians understand a relatively little-known king and provides new evidence about the royal family of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Most importantly, it offers a direct archaeological connection between Thutmose II and Hatshepsut.
The discovery was later included among the top ten archaeological discoveries of 2025, according to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, highlighting its importance to the study of ancient Egyptian history.
And the story is not finished.
Archaeologists continue working around the tomb in search of additional evidence and to investigate where the remaining funerary equipment and other contents may have been moved after the ancient flooding.
A New Chapter in the Story of Hatshepsut
For visitors fascinated by Hatshepsut, the discovery of Thutmose II’s tomb adds another important chapter to her story.
Before she became pharaoh, Hatshepsut was the wife of Thutmose II. The evidence from his tomb shows her role in his burial and places her within the royal traditions that later shaped her own reign.
Thousands of years later, the rediscovery of his lost tomb is helping archaeologists reconstruct that remarkable period of Egyptian history — one discovery at a time.
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