Nefertiti, the beautiful and powerful queen and great royal wife thought to have ruled Ancient Egypt in the 14th century BC, has fascinated historians, archeologists and Egyptologists alike for many decades, as her royal tomb was never found and is thought by many to be hidden, buried in the desert. Modern reconstruction efforts show the Pharaoh suffered from many illnesses in his life paired with physical disabilities and spinal problems. She is one of the most famous women of ancient Egypt. Has Nefertiti’s tomb finally been found? A leading Egyptian archaeologist has revealed that the tomb of Queen Nefertiti – Tutankhamun's step-mother – could be found within days. Nefertiti ruled the country in 1353-1336 BC. This article is more than 5 years old . High resolution scans of Tutankhamun's tomb have revealed hidden chambers where archaeologist Nicholas Reeves believes Queen Nefertiti's remains could be. In his opinion, the rooms could contain the remains of Queen Nefertiti. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, A gilded lion bed and inlaid clothes chest among other objects in the antechamber, December 1922. Queen Nefertiti’s Tomb: Nicholas Reeves’s Theory. One major problem of this theory is that neither Ay or his wife Tey are explicitly called the father and mother of Nefertiti in existing sources. Even better than Abu Simbel. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, Ornately carved alabaster vases in the antechamber, December 1922. If researchers have found her tomb, what’s inside could change Middle Eastern history. We will need to adapt the data slightly to understand the common people - but the archaeological evidences hidden here will build on our understanding and knowledge of a whole civilisation which started more than 5,000 years ago. see also: The Young king Tutankhamun, who was popularly called by the Institute, was the son of king Akhenaten, and when Nefertiti was the wife of Pharaoh, she automatically began to be the stepmother of Tutankhamun. Reeves’s astonishing hypothesis was that Queen Nefertiti’s tomb—long sought after but never found—is hidden within King Tutankhamun’s tomb, concealed for more than 3,000 years in a secret room behind a wall of Tutankhamun’s burial chamber. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. Reeves believes that one tomb is another storage room, but the other is the tomb of Tut’s stepmother, Nefertiti. As it is only happening now, this discovery will be recorded with the latest technology and the process itself will be a matter for posterity. Artists secretly scan Queen Nefertiti bust and recreate using data, Tutankhamun tomb 'must not be damaged' in hunt for secret chamber, Tutankhamun's golden face mask 'was actually made for his mother', You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification. Is it the queen? These scans indeed indicate that there are openings behind the West and North walls of the burial chamber. The findings lent credence to Reeves’s theory that the king’s burial palace contained a larger, hidden tomb within. The search for Nefertiti’s tomb goes back several years, and it has always proved to be elusive. Recently, scientists using ground-penetrating radar studied the tomb of Tutankhamun. Have we finally found the secret lost tomb of Egypt's Queen Nefertiti? The place of her burial has not yet been found… Sep 24, 2015 - Dr Nicholas Reeves, an English archaeologist at the University of Arizona, says he made the discovery after analysing high-resolution radar scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's grave. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Cambridge Egyptologist Kimberley Watt explains what's been found - and why we should all be excited, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Nefertiti was the wife of Akhenaten, a Pharaoh who ruled for 17 years before his death. Has she finally been found? CNN. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights. Is the UK prepared for an incoming asteroid impact? This means that a lot of it seems unique. That's because Dr Nicholas Reeves, an eminent Egyptologist and former director of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project, published a paper demonstrating how behind the walls of this small tomb, there were more rooms as demonstrated by thin cracks in the decorative paintings. Egyptian archaeologists announced recently they may have found the burial place of Queen Nefertiti in a hidden chamber close to the pharaoh’s burial complex in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. Tutankhamun was the eleventh king of the 18th dynasty (16th – 13th century BCE), who reigned for nine years and died when he was approximately 18 years old. While some archaeologists are skeptical of whether the hidden tomb houses the body of famous Nefertiti, many agree that if the second room was the tomb of another family member predating Tut, it would explain the mysteries surrounding the structure of King Tut’s tomb. It has been suggested that it contains the burial of another royal member of the family. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. The device found a pair of corridors that stretch from Tutankhamun’s room to another room 9.5 m wide and 1.8 m high. Now, a radical new theory may provide the … It could also be the final resting place of a major court official whose tomb was "borrowed" for Tutankhamun’s impromptu death. Many believe she held as much power as the pharaoh himself. It would be good news for Egypt as well. Evidently, the individuals like Tutankhamun buried in the Valley of the Kings were mostly of royal birth or closely related to it. The Queen’s tomb has never been discovered but Dr Hawass suggested in 2019 Nefertiti’s body may have already been found. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. A new radar survey of King Tutankhamun’s tomb has reportedly found evidence of a hidden chamber that has revived talk about Queen Nefertiti’s final resting place. Queen Nefertiti. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, A statue of Anubis on a shrine with pallbearers' poles in the treasury of the tomb, ca.1923. The Tomb of Nefertiti. The tomb of Tutankhamun, the king of ancient Egypt who became famous when Howard Carter discovered his tomb nearly intact in 1922, is now a hot topic again. The archaeologist led an excavation in the Valley of the Kings that uncovered the bodies of two female mummies. King Tutankhamun’s reign may have been short-lived but the Pharaoh’s discovery in 1922 has captured the world’s imagination. During his reign, she had a major role in the new religion and possibly too in the governing of the country. Queen Nefertiti: Has the tomb of Tutankhamun's mother been found A diagram of Nefertiti's possible resting place. She was known as the Ruler of the Nile and Daughter of Gods and her life and mysterious … The tombs were carved and excavated by workmen within the Theban mountain (on the opposite bank of modern Luxor), thus hiding the royal remains and funerary furniture deep into the mountain. A New Tomb From 10,000 BC Discovered in turkey – Amazing connection with queen Nefertiti. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The nation has been in turmoil since the Arab Spring protests of 2011. Helpful. Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. Nefertiti's name, Egyptian Nfr.t-jy.tj, can be translated as "The Beautiful Woman has Come". As Nefertiti's tomb was never completed and was found in the valley of the kings, the location of Nefertiti's body has long been a subject of curiosity and speculation. No trace has been found of the legendary "beautiful one" who ruled across Egypt at her husband's side… until, possibly, now. Egyptologists have been unable to locate the tomb of Nefertiti during years of research after the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. His tomb was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter and Douglas Berry, and surprisingly seemed to have gone unnoticed by past and recent tomb robbers. Joann Fletcher, 2003. The list of ancient Egyptian kings, as we know it today, is a work in progress—a compilation made by modern scholars and based on found fragments. They were so well hidden that they lay undiscovered for nearly a century after the first opening of the tomb. Clearly there is something on the other side of the north wall of the burial chamber. In 2015, Dr Nicholas Reeves published his theory about potential rooms in Tutankhamun’s burial and mentioned that they would be a likely final resting place for Akhenaten’s wife, Nefertiti. One mummy, who had been suggested to be Nefertiti by Dr Joann Fletcher, has in fact been identified as Tutankhamun’s mother - the royal concubine. Two secret doorways may exist coming from the walls of the main chamber. USGS reveals what would happen if Yellowstone volcano erupted, Before and After pics show horror of Antarctica ice melt, Archaeology: Discovery of 'smiting gods' in rubble of ancient temple, ‘Heart stopping moment’ as archaeologists open Egyptian sarcophagus, 'Spectacular' ancient Neanderthal found in 'burial site'. SuchIsLifeDC wrote a review Mar 2020. The Nefertiti bust is pictured during a press preview of the exhibition 'In The Light Of Amarna' to mark the 100 years of the Nefertiti bust discovery at the Neues Museum (New Museum) in Berlin, on December 5, 2012, Carter and a worker examine the solid gold innermost sarcophagus, October 1925. In fact, in 2003, another mummy was identified as Nefertiti. That's the shock claim made by scientists after they found … See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, Carter examines Tutankhamun's sarcophagus, October 1925. The wall of the burial chamber is guarded by statues, december 1922. Nov 29, 2015 - An intriguing new hypothesis is the talk of archaeologists and historians in Egypt and around the world: Does King Tut’s tomb contain Queen Nefertiti’s crypt? Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, In a "laboratory" set up in the tomb of Sethos II, conservators Arthur Mace and Alfred Lucas clean one of the sentinel statues from the antechamber, January 1924. Renowned Archeologist, Nicholas Reeves, thinks it might be Queen Nefertiti's tomb. Dr Hawass said extensive DNA testing could reveal them to be Queen Nefertiti and her daughter Queen Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun’s wife. But as ancient Egyptian society fit a very clear hierarchy, we can expect the actions of those at the top to be reflected on those at the base of the pyramid. Queen Nefertiti: Has the tomb of Tutankhamun's mother been found A diagram of Nefertiti's possible resting place. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. Some rooms of the tomb remain walled up. “We also suspect that the other KV21 mummy could be of Nefertiti.”. In August 2015, British archeologist Nicholas Reeves announced that archaeologists could be on the brink of discovering Queen Nefertiti after he found wall markings in King Tut’s tomb indicating the presence of a hidden doorway that may lead to another room. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, A ceremonial bed in the shape of the Celestial Cow, surrounded by provisions and other objects in the antechamber of the tomb, December 1922. But one may hope …. Archaeologists used ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to revel a previously unknown cavity behind King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Two secret doorways may exist coming from the walls of the main chamber. Understanding the concepts and designs of their burial customs provides an insight into their culture and habits. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, A gilded bust of the Celestial Cow Mehet-Weret and chests sit in the treasury of the tomb, ca.1923. She survived her husband and may have become a regent of Tutankhamun in his early years, or may even have assumed the ruling position on her own, as Pharaoh Neferneferuaten. The former minister is also on the hunt for Queen Nefertiti, searching for hidden tombs in the Valley of the Kings. For Egyptologists today, finding Nefertiti’s mummy would be just as important as the discovery of Tut’s tomb. A search for pharaonic Queen Nefertiti's resting place finds possible "organic material" inside spaces behind walls in Tutankhamun's tomb, Egypt says. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, Carter, Mace and an Egyptian worker carefully roll up the linen pall covering the second shrine, 30th October 1923. Archaeologists have been exploring the tomb for additional chambers and secrets since its opening in 1922 by British explorer Howard Carter. While some archaeologists are skeptical of whether the hidden tomb houses the body of famous Nefertiti, many agree that if the second room was the tomb of another family member predating Tut, it would explain the mysteries surrounding the structure of King Tut’s tomb. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, Tutankhamun's burial mask, November 1925. He said: “Using modern DNA techniques, we are exhuming the two female mummies found in KV21 because one of them, the headless one, might possibly be Ankhesenamun due to the preliminary studies. King Tutankhamen was actually a lesser pharaoh of ancient Egypt, but these days he's a pretty big deal. It is possible this new discovery will change our opinion, if it appears that another member of the royal family was buried in these hidden rooms. The other, on the north side of Tutankhamun's tomb, contains 'the undisturbed burial of the tomb's original owner - Nefertiti', Dr Reeves argued. Pompeii: New discovery proves eruption date wrong, Ancient Egypt: Archaeologists may have found the burial chamber of Queen Nefertiti, Ancient Egypt: The most incredible archaeological sites of interest, End of the world claim: Jerusalem third temple fulfils Bible prophecy. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. A hidden cell was discovered in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, which may be the resting place of his mother, Queen Nefertiti. [INTERVIEW]USGS reveals what would happen if Yellowstone volcano erupted [INSIGHT]Before and After pics show horror of Antarctica ice melt [PICTURES]. It was July of last year when British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves announced his hypothesis that stunned scholars of the ancient world. Nefertiti's parentage is not known with certainty, but one often cited theory is that she was the daughter of Ay, later to be pharaoh. Express. Every time something is discovered in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, the whispers begin. Reeves’s astonishing hypothesis was that Queen Nefertiti’s tomb—long sought after but never found—is hidden within King Tutankhamun’s tomb, concealed for more than 3,000 years in a secret room behind a wall of Tutankhamun’s burial chamber. August 12, 2015 10:43 am. You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. The funerary material that was uncovered was unprecedented for any king in our records. Egyptologist Ryan Johnson from the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the discovery, told Nature the data is “tremendously exciting”. The boy pharaoh rose to power between the age of eight and nine but died before the age of 20. University of York archaeologist Joann Fletcher studied three mummies that had been found … It is possible the mummy of Akhenaten himself may be among those for which the lack of contextualised information renders identification complex. It is one of the most beautiful places I saw in Egypt. Queen Nefertiti has all through the ages continued to capture our imaginations. order back issues and use the historic Daily Express The famous golden head mask exposed in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo is one of the most impressive pieces of its funerary goods, but the wooden panels and statues are just as unique in their designs. The ancient Egyptian royal’s place of burial has been a mystery for decades. But until now, numerous archaeological expeditions have failed to conclusively find any new chambers. However, archaeologists have not yet determined whether the cavity is indeed a new burial chamber or part of another tomb. An American archaeologist believes he may have found the long-lost tomb of Egypt’s Queen Nefertiti. Nefertiti was the wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (later Akhenaten), and mother-in-law of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen. The cavity sits at about the same depth as the burial chamber and runs parallel to the tomb’s entrance. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. According to the archaeologist, the tomb looks like an Egyptian queen’s tomb more than the burial space for a pharaoh due to its position to the right of the entrance shaft and the smaller size. He speculated they could find the tomb of Kiya, another of Akhenaton’s wives, or even another royal family member whose tomb would have been extended to make room for Tutankhamun. EGYPT archaeologist Dr Chris Naunton has told Express.co.uk that there is a possibility of discovering Queen Nefertiti after an anomaly was found during a scan near Tutankhamun's tomb. Egypt-approaching locust swarm sparks Bible apocalypse fears, Ancient Egypt: Howard Carter and King Tutankhamun's sarcophagus, Ancient Egypt: Queen Nefertiti was the mother-in-law of Tutankhamun, Archaeology news: Rare Bronze Age hoard sheds light on ancient London, 'Real cause' of Noah’s flood calculated by Isaac Newton 400 years ago. Tomb of Nefertiti, Egypt's mysterious ancient queen, may have been found. Despite being one of the most famous ancient Egyptian queens, the location of Nefertiti's tomb remains a mystery to researchers. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome, Chests inside the treasury, ca.1923. Secret chamber found inside King Tut's famous tomb may solve hunt for Nefertiti . 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