Legendary Tomb of Nefertiti May Have Been Found

Queen Nefertiti: wife to the pharaoh Akhenaten, co-founder of a revolution in Ancient Egypt’s religion, suspected stepmother to Tutankhamun, and also had possibly reigned as the pharaohness Neferneferuaten herself. Despite being such an influential and well-documented figure in ancient Egypt, the nature of the death of Queen Nefertiti, and the location of her tomb, has remained a mystery.

However, that mystery may soon be solved, if the suspicions of Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves prove to be correct. Recently, utilizing high-resolution 3D scans made by Madrid-based conservation group Factum Arte, Reeves discovered inconsistencies in the walls of Tutankhamun’s tomb that suggested that there may be hidden passages beyond the famous king’s mausoleum.

Along with Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty, Reeves is currently planning to conduct penetrating radar and thermal scans within the next few months of Tut’s tomb, of which was thought to have given up all of it’s secrets ninety-three years ago. From his previous findings, Reeves suspects that there are two undiscovered chambers to be found there.

British archaeologist Nigel Hetherington, highlights the potential importance of the find: “The pharaohs were masters of deception. They didn’t need laser lights and razor wire, they could design a tomb which would appear to finish naturally, but then continue. To discover a royal burial, now, and, in the Valley of the Kings would be phenomenal.”

As wife to Akhenaten, Nefertiti would have been considered a revolutionary by the priesthoods of the established gods, and an extraordinary effort might well have been made to conceal her tomb, as Egyptian believe was that a soul without a mummy was left to wander after death. This may also be why Tut’s tomb was so well hidden that it remain undiscovered until modern times.

The image shows Tut’s tomb with the newly discovered chambers.