Unveiling Ancient Egypt's Secrets: British Archaeologist's Remarkable Tomb Discovery

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You Dream About Such Things: Brit Who Discovered Lost Pharaoh's Tomb May Have Unearthed Another

Unveiling the location of a pharaoh's tomb is a career-defining moment for an archaeologist. But discovering a second is extraordinary. Last week, British archaeologist Piers Litherland announced the discovery of the century: the first rock-cut pharaoh's tomb unearthed in Egypt since Tutankhamun's in 1922. But now, Litherland believes he has identified the location of a second tomb for Thutmose II. This one, he believes, holds the pharaoh's mummified body and grave goods. Archaeologists believe this hidden tomb has gone undetected for 3,500 years, concealed under layers of limestone flakes, rubble, and plaster. "There are 23 meters of a pile of man-made layers sitting above a point in the landscape where we believe – and we have other confirmatory evidence – there is a monument concealed beneath," said Litherland. While searching near the first tomb, Litherland found an inscription buried with a cow sacrifice. This suggests the contents of the first tomb may have been moved by Queen Hatshepsut to a nearby second tomb. Litherland's team is excavating the layers surrounding the suspected second tomb, which include limestone plaster, flakes, tufa, and rubble. Beneath that lies a layer of mud plaster and ash. "Among that ash, we found the remains of beer jars and chisel ends used by workmen," said Litherland, indicating the man-made nature of the layers. To access the second tomb, Litherland's team must remove large rocks and plaster. They are currently halfway through removing these obstacles, which are expected to be cleared within the next month.