Historic discovery: Egypt reveals King Thutmose II's tomb, first major find since Tutankhamun

Egyptian officials have announced a landmark archaeological discovery - the tomb of King Thutmose II in Luxor's mount of Thebes area, marking the first major royal tomb discovery since King Tutankhamun's in 1922.

The joint Egyptian-British archaeological team uncovered the 3,500-year-old burial site near the Valley of the Kings. According to Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), the discovery holds particular significance as it reveals the first-ever funerary furniture belonging to Thutmose II, items previously unknown to museums worldwide.

The excavation, which began in 2022, initially puzzled researchers. Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian excavation team, explained that the tomb's proximity to the burial sites of King Thutmose III's wives and Queen Hatshepsut initially led them to believe it belonged to a royal wife. Adding to the challenge was the tomb's poor preservation due to flood damage.

However, definitive evidence of the tomb's royal ownership emerged through discovered artifacts, particularly alabaster jar fragments bearing inscriptions of both Thutmose II and his principal wife, Queen Hatshepsut - who was also his half-sister. Archaeological evidence suggests that Queen Hatshepsut, who later became pharaoh herself, oversaw Thutmose II's burial.

While the king's mummy was previously discovered in the 19th century at the Deir el-Bahari Cachette, likely moved there after ancient tomb raiders looted the original burial site, it now resides among other royal mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

The excavation continues as a collaborative effort between Egyptian authorities and the UK's New Kingdom Research Foundation, promising to enhance our understanding of this significant period in ancient Egyptian history.

The Daily Mail contributed to this article.