Nefertiti: Who is the mysterious Queen who might be hiding in Tutankhamun's tomb?

Radar scans of King Tut's tomb have potentially uncovered two new chambers inside the pharaoh’s mausoleum

Sudarsan Raghavan

Friday 18 March 2016 17:39 GMT

The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 in Luxor triggered global interest in ancient Egypt (EPA)

The most famous tomb in the world may have been shared, a discovery that could unlock one of the world’s greatest mysteries: What happened to a beautiful queen who once ruled ancient Egypt?

On Thursday, Egypt’s minister of antiquities announced that radar scans of King Tut's tomb have potentially uncovered two new chambers inside the pharaoh’s mausoleum. The scans, added Mamdouh al-Damaty, revealed metal and organic masses that suggest there are funeral objects inside the rooms.

"It could be the discovery of the century,” Damaty told reporters. “It's very important for Egyptian history and the history of the world." The spaces could have belonged to king or queen, he said, adding that further scans are scheduled at the end of the month to determine the size of the chambers and the thickness of the walls.

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Show all 21

1/21Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Carter and a worker examine the solid gold innermost sarcophagus, October 1925. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Carter examines Tutankhamun's sarcophagus, October 1925. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Carter, Callender and two Egyptian workers carefully dismantle one of the golden shrines within the burial chamber, December 1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Carter, Mace and an Egyptian worker carefully roll up the linen pall covering the second shrine, 30th October 1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Inside the outermost shrine in the burial chamber, a huge linen pall with gold rosettes, reminiscent of the night sky, covers the smaller shrines within, December 1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Carter, Callende, and two workers remove the partition wall between the antechamber and the burial chamber, 2nd December 1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

A statue of Anubis on a shrine with pallbearers' poles in the treasury of the tomb, ca.1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Arthur Mace and Alfred Lucas work on a golden chariot from Tutankhamun's tomb outside the "laboratory" in the tomb of Sethos II, December 1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Howard Carter, Arthur Callender and an Egyptian worker wrap one of the sentinel statues for transport, 29th November 1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

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. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Ornately carved alabaster vases in the antechamber, December 1922. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Chests inside the treasury, ca.1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

A gilded bust of the Celestial Cow Mehet-Weret and chests sit in the treasury of the tomb, ca.1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Under the lion bed in the antechamber are several boxes and chests, and an ebony and ivory chair which Tutankhamun used as a child, December 1922. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

A gilded lion bed and inlaid clothes chest among other objects in the antechamber, December 1922. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

An assortment of model boats in the treasury of the tomb, ca. 1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

A gilded lion bed, clothes chest and other objects in the antechamber. The wall of the burial chamber is guarded by statues, december 1922. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

A ceremonial bed in the shape of the Celestial Cow, surrounded by provisions and other objects in the antechamber of the tomb, December 1922. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Howard Carter, Arthur Callender and an Egyptian worker open the doors of the innermost shrine and get their first look at Tutankhamun's sarcophagus, 4th January 1924. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Tutankhamun's burial mask, November 1925. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb - in colour

Lord Carnarvon, financier of the excavation, reads on the veranda of Carter's house near the Valley of the Kings, ca.1923. Image courtesy of Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, colourised by Dynamichrome

The question on many an Egyptologist’s mind: Could Queen Nefertiti, said to be Tutankhamun's stepmother, also be buried here?

Ever since British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves suggested in August that Nefertiti’s final resting place could be in one of the chambers of Tutankhamun's tomb, the archaeological world has been tantalized with the prospect of uncovering another monumental discovery in Egypt.

King Tutankhamun died at the age of 19. The discovery of his tomb in 1922 in Luxor in southern Egypt, along with thousands of priceless artifacts including the boy king’s famed gold burial mask, triggered global interest in ancient Egypt. At a time when Egypt is struggling with an economic crisis and militant attacks, finding Queen Nefertiti’s tomb could rejuvenate tourism and worldwide interest in the North African country.

Restored Tutankhamun

Nefertiti, historians say, was one of the wives of Tutankhamun’s father, Akhenaten. She was known for her beauty and was the subject of a famous 3,300-year old bust that is now in Berlin. Akhenaten was succeeded by a pharaoh named Smenkhare and next by Tutankhamun. The family’s rule ended with a military takeover, and their names were later erased from official records.

Damaty declined to speculate if Nefertiti could be buried in the new chambers, but he said it was possible they could contain the tomb of a member of Tutankhamun’s family. The radar scans, he said, showed anomalies in the tomb’s walls, suggesting a possible hidden door and the additional rooms, which lay behind walls painted with hieroglyphics.

© Washington Post

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies