Scientists have recently revised the timeline for Ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom, often called its most powerful era, shifting its start date to potentially 100 years later than previously believed.
The revised chronology emerged from a landmark December 2025 study that directly compared Egyptian artifacts with the radiocarbon dating of the Thera (Santorini) eruption in the Aegean Sea.
The New Kingdom—home to famous rulers like Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, and Tutankhamun—is now suggested to have begun decades later than the traditional 1550 BC estimate.
By analyzing items tied to Pharaoh Ahmose I, the founder of the 18th Dynasty, researchers determined the Thera eruption occurred before the New Kingdom began, during the chaotic Second Intermediate Period.
This shift implies that the Second Intermediate Period, a time of political fragmentation, lasted significantly longer than historians once thought.
Older studies from 2013 also redefined the “origin story,” using radiocarbon models to show that Egypt’s transformation from disparate farmers into a unified state under King Aha (c. 3100 BC) happened much faster than once believed.
Other Major 2025–2026 Discoveries:
In February 2025, archaeologists confirmed the discovery of the long-lost tomb of Thutmose II, the last missing royal burial site of the 18th Dynasty.
A new 30-meter corridor was detected inside the Pyramid of Khufu, with a full unveiling of its contents scheduled for 2026.
Radar scans behind Tutankhamun’s tomb in 2025 suggested a hidden chamber that may finally belong to Queen Nefertiti.
By Anthony Solly
