Thutmose II, An Unremarkable King Who Created a Fantastic Dynasty

 

Figure 1: King Thutmose II as carved into the walls of the Karnak Temple (Source: Egypt Museum)

In 2022 archaeologists excavating in the Valley of the Kings, within the boundaries of Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut, made a discovery that they did not think much of.  It was a collapsed tomb, which they initially believed was more than likely a royal consort or wife.  This led the team to not have any urgency in the excavation of the tomb, but they still took great care in their excavation process.  A royal is a royal, even if it is just a female consort or wife.  The pharaoh’s wives and consorts typically did not have any power (with a couple of exceptions, such as the case of Queen Hatshepsut, who seized control from her infant stepson and reigned in his place for several years).  They still were important and played a role in the dynastic rule of Egypt, meaning scholars could possibly learn more about a pharaoh’s rule through the interpretation of his wife’s or consort’s tomb.  What archaeologists initially wrote off turned out to be something more, even greater than they had initially considered.  Today’s blog post covers one of the monumental discoveries of 2025: the discovery of King Thutmose II’s tomb.

 

King Thutmose II (Figure 1) was a pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty (1550–1295 B.C.).  He ascended the throne in 1493 and married his half-sister, Hatshepsut (who gained notoriety after his death).  His reign was nothing remarkable.  He forayed into some minor military skirmishes, quelling rebellions in Nubia and elsewhere in his kingdom.  He fathered a couple of children, including his heir, Thutmose III, with a lesser wife.  His greatest claim to fame is being the ancestor to notable royals, including Akhenaton, the Heretic King, and King Tut. Thutmose II passed away from unknown causes in 1479 B.C., after 14 years in power, leaving the power vacuum that led to the first scandal in his royal lineage (as his wife, Hatshepsut, did not abdicate the throne when his infant heir reached the age of maturity).

 

Figure 2: Fragments of the painted ceiling in Thutmose II's tomb (Source: New Kingdom Research Foundation)

 

Archaeologists were not intending on discovering Thutmose II’s tomb.  A mummy presumed to be his was previously discovered, laying the “mystery” to rest as far as they were concerned.  As a team led by Piers Litherland of the New Kingdom Research Foundation Mission to the Western Wadis carefully excavated the unknown tomb they began to realize that they may have something more than a royal wife’s or consort’s tomb.  First, they discovered fragments of ceiling that had a night sky painted on it (Figure 2).  This was something reserved only for pharaohs of that period.  They then discovered portions of the Amduat text on the walls.  This excerpt provided guidance to the deceased pharaoh on how to navigate the afterlife, which, again, is reserved solely for the pharaoh’s tomb.  The last pieces of evidence that solidified the conclusion that this was Thutmose II’s tomb were two fragmentary vessels.  Each had inscriptions describing the love and affection for the pharaoh’s wife, Hatshepsut.  Since she only had one husband it was clear that this was Thutmose II’s tomb. 

 

But this is not where the story ends.  Archaeologists discovered evidence that demonstrated that this was Thutmose II’s tomb but not his only tomb.  There was evidence of intentional removal of artifacts/burial goods and the restructuring of the tomb.  It is believed that the tomb flooded shortly after Thutmose II was interred, leading mortuary technicians to remove his body and burial goods and place them in a more secure tomb.  The archaeological team believe they know where this second tomb is located, but they have not yet had access or the ability to excavate it.  They suspect that if their hypothesis is correct they may discover untouched and unbroken burial goods.  This also means that there may be a body within that tomb.  If so the mummy presumed to be Thutmose II is not his but someone else, which would require additional analysis of that burial to identify who that individual is.

 

Presently, none of the scholars associated with this discovery have published any formal reports on their discoveries.  They have engaged in several interviews, which is why this information is available to the public.  It is assumed that upon completion of the entire excavation a more formal report (through peer-reviewed publication) will be available.

 

References

Egypt-Museum. (2025, February 19). Discovery of Thutmose II’s tomb. Retrieved from Egypt Museum: https://egypt-museum.com/discovery-of-thutmose-iis-tomb/

Lewsey, F. (2025, February 24). The Tale of the Tomb of Thutmose II. Retrieved from University of Cambridge : https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/tale-of-thutmose-tomb

Lobell, J. A. (2026, January/February 2026). The Case of the Missing Pharaoh. Archaeology Magazine.

Making Peace with the Dead: The Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival

 

Figure 1: Fireworks display for the 2025 Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (Source: Taito City)

 

Today marks the commemoration of the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (Figure 1).  This annual festival is celebrated in Tokyo, Japan on the last Saturday of July. It has existed for over 250 years, although celebrated off and on during that time for various years.  Today’s blog post will address the origins, purpose, and changing values of the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival.

 

The Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival was originally called the Ryogoku River Opening ceremony.  The first event occurred in 1773 and was initiated by the 8th shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune.  This military leader of Japan’s reign had been fraught with challenges.  The year before over a million Japanese perished as a result of extreme famine and a cholera epidemic.  The survivors were fraught with various emotions a year later, leading the shogun to take action to alleviate their concerns and fears.  He felt that a fireworks festival would be the best course of action, and he chose this specific time of the year for two reasons.  First, it coincided with another festival, the opening of the rivers or new ports, which brought about blessings to fishermen and people who used the rivers as ceremonies and dedications to the river and water gods were provided.  Second, this time of the year was also when the Japanese would honor their dead.  Tokugawa Yoshimune combined the two events, declaring this the best time to appease the spirits of the dead who perished over the previous year and calling upon the water and river gods to bless the people as they moved forward post-tragedy.

 

Fireworks were chosen as a means of celebration because they were an important part of Japanese culture as fireworks originated in Japan.  The large fiery displays also required people to come together to watch them, promoting a sense of togetherness and community.  Initially, a small number of fireworks displays were provided, but over time the number and types of displays expanded.  Rich noblemen competed to provide the best fireworks displays for the people, which aided them in increasing their social status among the people. 

 

For a brief time the fireworks displays were banned out of concerns for the hazards they caused in burning the homes and wooden structures of Tokyo.  Rather than abandon the tradition altogether fireworks manufacturers developed safer fireworks.  This allowed the fireworks festival to continue.  This also led to even greater innovations, including the creation of fireworks that the general public could use.  Child safe fireworks, such as the sparklers, were developed and available, which also meant that the nobility did not need to compete for social status through this festival.  This led to an expansion of who could participate in the fireworks celebrations, leading to greater number of people attending and providing their own fireworks displays. 

 

The Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival continued over the decades, briefly pausing ss various national and international conflicts occurred.  Despite these interruptions the festival grew and evolved as Japanese culture evolved.  In the 1970s the festival was rebranded to its current name, and within a few decades the reinvigoration of the fireworks competition took place.  Now it is fireworks companies that engage in the competition, which they use as a means of introducing new fireworks products and displays.  Japan has also opened this festival up as a tourism marketing opportunity, encouraging foreigners to engage in the festivities.

 

Works Cited

Japan National Tourism Organization. Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival. n.d. Electronic. 12 May 2026.

Jimura, Takamitsu. "Events and intangible cultural heritage." A research agenda for event impacts. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2022. 117-127.

Liu-Brennana, Damien and Tadao Yoshidab. "Fireworks on the Sumida River." Journal of Pyrotechnics (2009): 3-15. Print.

Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau. 48th Sumida River Fireworks Festival. 26 July 2025. Electronic. 12 May 2026.