According to Archaeology, archaeologists have just confirmed that the Mausoleum of C4, located at Wadi Gabbanat el-Qurud near Luxor (Egypt), was a little-known king of the 18th Dynasty of ancient Egypt.
The entrance to the mausoleum was discovered in October 2022, initially thought to be that of a queen due to its location near the burial site of the concubines of King Thutmose III and Queen Hatshepsut.
However, based on the lines "the king has disappeared" engraved on a stone vessel in the mausoleum of C4, archaeologists have determined that this is the resting place of King Thutmose II.
According to Dr Mohamed Ismail Khaled, General Secretary of the Supreme Council for Archaeology of Egypt, this is one of the most important discoveries in recent years.
Previously, no burial relics related to King Thutmose II were found in museums around the world, making the discovery particularly valuable.
King Thutmose II was the son of King Thutmose I with a concubine named Mutnofret. He ruled for a short time before Queen Hatshepsut - who was both a sister and a wife - took power.
Many researchers believe that Queen Hatshepsut was the one who truly ruled the country during his reign. After his death, the remains of King Thutmose II were moved to the Secret Dynasty (TT320) near Deir el-Bahari, where many other pharaohs of the 18th and 19th Dynasties were kept. It was not until the 9th century that his remains were discovered.
The C4 mausoleum was severely damaged by floods shortly after his death, causing the structure to weaken and many walls to collapse.
Archaeologists have restored the plaster debris decorated with blue patterns and shapes resembling yellow stars and excerpts from the Book of Amduat - an important royal funeral document.
These factors, along with the simple structure of the mausoleum, are believed to have influenced the design of later tombs of the 18th Dynasty.
The excavation and research project was conducted by a group of British and Egyptian archaeologists. Including the participation of Dr. Piers Litherland (UK), Professor Mohamed Abdel-Badi and many other experts.
Sherif Fathy, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, praised the efforts of the archaeological group. He stressed that this was the first time a royal mausoleum has been found since archaeologist Howard Carter found the resting place of King Tutankhamun in 1922.
