Tutankhamun tomb has numerous secret chambers, Egyptian official says after landmark study
Egyptian ministers have previously promised that the chamber would be ‘full of treasures’ and could be ‘the discovery of the 21st century’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Two previously secret chambers have been discovered hidden in King Tutankhamun’s tomb - and could finally solve the mystery surrounding Queen Nefertiti's final resting place.
Egypt's antiquities minister said experts were 90 per cent sure of the chambers' existence, with officials adding they could be “full of treasures”.
Scans indicate the two rooms, which are hidden on the north and eastern walls of the tomb, contain either metal or organic material.
It is hoped the previously undiscovered chambers might unlock many of the deepest secrets of the ancient Egyptians.
Some theories have suggested parts of the tomb may contain the resting place of Queen Nefertiti, who scholars have argued could have been Tutankhamun’s mother. The Egyptian antiquities minister said that he thought the tomb could contain the remains of a member of Tutankhamun's family, but would not speculate on whether or not that might be Nefertiti.
If the chambers are hiding the tomb of Queen Nefertiti, they could be one of the most important archaeological finds of the 21st century, with some having claimed Tutankhamun’s tomb was originally built for the 'Great Royal Queen'.
The discovery was made after a Japanese radar study that looked to map out the contents of the tomb. The researchers will conduct a more advanced scan at the end of this month that will be able to check for certain whether the empty spaces are chambers.
If that scan comes back with proof, then the team will discuss how and when they can get into the rooms.
"We can say more than 90 percent that the chambers are there," said Mamdouh Eldamaty, an egyptologist who is the country's antiquities minister.
"But I never start the next step until I'm 100 percent."
The tomb in Luxor in Egypt was found in 1922 by a team supervised by British Archaeologist Howard Carter.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments