The discovery of the lost tomb of Thutmose II raised an intriguing question: if archaeologists found his original tomb, where was the pharaoh’s mummy?
The answer takes us on a remarkable journey through ancient Egyptian history — from the burial of a young king to the secret royal mummy cache at Deir el-Bahari, and eventually to modern Egypt’s National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.
Who Was Thutmose II?
Thutmose II was the fourth king of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty and the son of Thutmose I. His position on the throne was strengthened through his marriage to his half-sister, Hatshepsut.
His reign was relatively short, probably less than five years, although its exact length remains debated. He died at approximately 30 years of age and was succeeded by his son, Thutmose III.
Although Thutmose II is less famous than Hatshepsut or Thutmose III, he belonged to one of the most important royal families of ancient Egypt.
His Original Tomb Was Lost
For many years, the original burial place of Thutmose II remained uncertain.
The recent discovery of Tomb C4 in the Theban mountains changed the story. Archaeologists identified the tomb as belonging to Thutmose II after finding inscriptions on alabaster vessels bearing his name as the deceased king, together with the name of Hatshepsut.
However, the tomb had suffered severe damage from flooding soon after the king's death. Archaeologists believe that the contents of the original burial were later moved to another location.
This explains why finding the tomb does not mean that Thutmose II's mummy was still inside it.
The Mummy Was Found in 1881
More than three thousand years after the king's death, his mummy was discovered in 1881 in the famous Deir el-Bahari royal cache, west of Luxor.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirms that the mummy of Thutmose II was found in the Deir el-Bahari cache.
The cache contained the mummies of many of Egypt's most powerful New Kingdom rulers, including Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Thutmose III, Hatshepsut, Seti I and Ramesses II.
Why were so many royal mummies hidden together?
Why Were the Royal Mummies Hidden?
During the later New Kingdom, royal tombs were increasingly threatened by tomb robbers.
Ancient Egyptian priests eventually moved and restored many royal mummies, placing them in hidden caches where they could be protected from further disturbance.
The Deir el-Bahari cache became one of the most important discoveries in the history of Egyptian archaeology because it preserved the remains of numerous kings and queens who had ruled Egypt centuries earlier.
For Thutmose II, this second burial was crucial.
His mummy had survived even though his original tomb and funerary equipment had been disturbed.
What Do We Know About His Mummy?
The mummy provides important information about the king himself.
Studies indicate that Thutmose II died at approximately 30 years of age. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization also records evidence that his mummy had been restored and reburied after being moved to the Deir el-Bahari cache.
A hieratic docket written on the outer wrappings records the restoration of his burial during the reign of Smendes in the Twenty-First Dynasty.
This small inscription is a remarkable piece of evidence because it helps archaeologists trace what happened to the king's remains long after his original burial.
What Does His Mummy Tell Us About Hatshepsut?
The story of Thutmose II cannot easily be separated from the story of Hatshepsut.
Hatshepsut was his half-sister and principal royal wife. After his death, she became regent for the young Thutmose III and later ruled Egypt as pharaoh herself.
The newly identified tomb of Thutmose II provides an additional connection between the two rulers: inscriptions found in the tomb name both Thutmose II and Hatshepsut, while archaeological evidence indicates that Hatshepsut oversaw his burial.
This makes the tomb and mummy part of the same extraordinary story — one that eventually led Hatshepsut from royal wife to one of ancient Egypt's most famous female pharaohs.
Where Is Thutmose II’s Mummy Today?
The mummy of Thutmose II is now associated with the Royal Mummies collection at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo.
The museum's Royal Mummies Hall preserves the remains of kings and queens of ancient Egypt, including Thutmose II and Hatshepsut.
Visitors can therefore see the remains of the king whose lost tomb has recently returned to the center of archaeological attention.
A Pharaoh With Two Tombs?
There is something fascinating about the story of Thutmose II.
His original tomb was lost for thousands of years.
His mummy was moved from its original burial and eventually hidden in the Deir el-Bahari cache.
And now archaeologists have identified the long-lost tomb again.
The result is an extraordinary archaeological puzzle: the tomb and the mummy were separated for thousands of years, but together they are helping researchers reconstruct the life, death and burial of a relatively little-known pharaoh.
The Mystery Is Not Over
The discovery of Thutmose II's tomb does not close the story — it opens a new chapter.
Archaeologists are continuing to study the tomb, its damaged decoration and the evidence left behind by the ancient Egyptians.
For a king whose reign was short and whose monuments are relatively modest, Thutmose II has suddenly returned to the spotlight.
And perhaps the most fascinating part of his story is that his mummy survived long enough for modern archaeologists to reconnect it with the tomb that had been lost for centuries.
Read More About Ancient Egypt
Who Was Hatshepsut? The Woman Who Became Pharaoh of Egypt
The Lost Tomb of Thutmose II: What It Reveals About Hatshepsut
The Architecture of Hatshepsut’s Temple at Deir el-Bahari
Why Did Ancient Egyptians Make Mummies?
Tutankhamun’s Golden Mask at the Grand Egyptian Museum
Official Sources
Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities — The Mummy of King Thutmose II.
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization — Thutmose II and the Royal Mummies Hall.