The missing tomb of ancient Egyptian King Thutmose II has been unearthed. It is the first royal tomb discovery in over 100 years, since the unveiling of King Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922.
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A groundbreaking discovery, solving one of ancient Egypt's greatest mysteries.
Probably extraterrestrial.
No, the pyramids were not built by aliens.
But this week, archaeologists unveiling the long lost tomb of an ancient king,
ruling Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.
The mummy of King Thutmose II was found all the way back in the 19th century,
and sits in a museum.
But where his tomb was remained an enigma.
His civilization captivating the world for over a millennia.
From stumping Napoleon's archaeologists to starring in modern day movies.
Making us scream and dance.
Shaping pop culture and society over the generation.
And our Molly Hunter was there in 2019 when this sarcophagus was unsealed,
revealing a perfectly intact mummy.
I'm very proud of this discovery.
Now, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities,
along with the New Kingdom Research Foundation of Cambridge,
saying it's the first royal tomb discovery in over 100 years
since the unveiling of King Tut's in 1922.
Found the remains and fabulous riches of young King Tutankhamen.
But finding the tomb, unearthed by Dr. Pierre Litherland and his team, was a challenge.
The entrance, originally found in 2022, was thought to be the tomb of a royal wife.
But it wasn't until they crawled through a narrow pathway,
reaching an inner chamber, that they found a surprise.
Blue painted ceilings with yellow stars on it and an ancient funerary text.
All indicators of a king's tomb.
Confirming they uncovered an important piece of history.
It's really quite amazing to find what might very well be his original resting place.
So why wasn't the king's mummy there?
The archaeologists believe his remains were moved after the tomb flooded shortly after his death.
The discovery in Luxor, about 400 miles down the Nile from the Great Pyramids,
already home to a magnificent ancient temple.
Now there's another reason for tourists to make the trek south.
Just don't touch the artifacts.
Hindi!
Marisa Parra, NBC News.
Thanks for watching.
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