King Thutmose II's Tomb Found - And It Wasn't in the Valley of the Kings

Announced by press release yesterday was the most significant archaeological find since Tutankhamun a century ago   - King Thutmose II's tomb was discovered 2 km west of the Valley of the Kings.

He looks pretty good, for being almost 3,000 years old, right?  

Remarkably well preserved, in fact.  

Now, here's what's interesting ...

So  instead of being discovered in the Valley of the Kings, his tomb was instead found near - but not in - the burial tombs for royal women.

The official explanation thus far is that there is evidence the tomb was moved, likely due to flooding - but it's still near the royal women's burial tombs instead of the Valley of the Kings?

So this is especially interesting because his wife was none other than the famous/infamous Hatshepsut - is the "female pharaoh," who many believed actually ruled or co-ruled during his reign, and later  fully donned both the pharaoh headdress and fake beard after his death.

Though officially, she was only coregent with her stepson, Thutmose III, he was only 2 years old at his father's death; thus, she became coregent until he was old enough to rule, but by the 7th year of her reign, elevated herself to pharaoh.

Thutmose III, of course, had her name literally erased/removed from nearly all Egyptian monuments and records - HOWEVER -  some history of her reign remained on the walls of tombs of those buried during her reign, as well as chronicles exist from other cultures with whom she had established vast trade routes - the largest ever seen in the "world," at that time.

In fact, since her reign was a peaceful and prosperous one, it has been postulated that the reason was her preference for diplomacy and trade versus war campaigns as a method to obtain resources.

However, others say though she did establish the most widespread trade routes in history, at that time, she simply benefitted from those before her as far as peace.

Of course "they" would say that - "they" always say that 😂 

However, one argument against the latter would be that we have  since learned that trade is the best way to obtain resources, and if both parties aren't happy with this trade, this often leads to war. but it didn't.

The second argument against the "inherited peace/prosperity" theory  VS earned peace/prosperity is that war returned when her stepson, Thutmose III, came to power that Egypt.

In fact, he was known as an expert military strategist and returned Egypt to military war "campaigns" as a means of gaining resources (and territory) rather than diplomacy and trade.

Thus, he is called "Thutmose the Great" as a result of his war-like antics. 

Don't know if that's so "great," though - considering during his stepmom's reign it was a peaceful, prosperous time, but he returned Egypt to invasion and bloodshed again as a means of obtaining new resources.

But allllrighty - guess it depends on your definition of "great."

Regardless, my question is this ... 

Okay, so his tomb was moved to water damage - but why was it moved close to the women's section rather than somewhere Valley of the Kings?

To hide it from thieves, being that this was late dynasty?

Was it because they ran out of space in the VOTK?

Was it an insult for letting Hatshepsut co-rule/have more power even before his death, during his own reign?

Was it because he was considered weak or effeminate or going way out on a limb with this question, dare I say, possibly even LGBTQ?

Perhaps we will learn more as time goes by.  Or not, considering Thutmose "The Great" the III may have been a great war-mongerer, but he a complete idiot for erasing everything during that time so that we may never know, out of his own vainglory. 😏

And in fact, 2,600 years later, that's what he's most remembered for - not for expanding Egypt territory or military strategy, but for trying in vain to erase his stepmother's legacy out of his own apparent insecurity, misogyny, and need for vainglory.

"Let's just erase her as if she didn't exist."

However, despite his best efforts, how many of us recognize the name Hatshepsut more than we recognize the name Thutmose III? 😊

This is because he was just more of the same-ole, same-ole. 

She, on the other hand, was incredibly interesting and way ahead of her time.

Also, this find is especially interesting during a time when our own world leaders - particularly ours here in the U.S. - have devolved back to an aggressive "world-dominance" mentality as a means of gaining resources - aggressive trade "wars" that insulting and aren't mutually beneficial, even invasion of territory and war? 

From wherever they are in their Egyptian afterlife, Hatshepsut and Thutmose II give the world a quiet sigh?  😊