Two previous tests of Reeves' theory, using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to search for hidden chambers or passages, produced contradictory results. But it appears that at some points in Tut's tomb, the radar waves did not penetrate through the walls but rather traveled along the wall surfaces before returning back to the receiver. “But if I’m right, the prospects are frankly staggering. Only because of this simple fact of being situated in … "It may be more efficient than traditional archaeology and less destructive," he adds. Others theorize that she outlived her husband and ruled alongside Tutankhamen or perhaps served as pharaoh herself before King Tut assumed the throne. Is Nefertiti in Tut’s Tomb? The world will have become a much more interesting place—at least for Egyptologists.”. 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. Ground-penetrating radar, a remote-sensing technique commonly used in prospecting for oil and gas and other minerals, is an increasingly critical tool for archaeologists. During her husband’s reign from 1353 to 1336 B.C., Nefertiti played an important political and religious role as co-regent during the height of ancient Egypt. The next step for researchers is to use seismic X-ray technology and ground-penetrating radar to determine if there are any gaps in the bedrock that would indicate the presence of additional rooms. May 7, 2018 at 3:57 p.m. UTC. “If I’m wrong, I’m wrong,” Reeves told the BBC. "The finding is that there is no evidence of doors or empty spaces beyond the funeral chamber up to four meters [13 feet]," Porcelli tells National Geographic. However, a second radar scan of the tomb, performed by National Geographic Society engineers in 2016, did not replicate Watanabe's results. Nefertiti disappeared from the historical record with five years remaining in Akhenaten’s reign. So, where is her mummy? A statement was released today on behalf of Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, during the fourth annual International Tutankhamun GEM Conference, held at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Relief showing Akhenaten and Nefertiti under the rays of the sun-god Aten. Renowned for her beauty, the queen was more than just a pretty face. “I will never relinquish the head of the queen,” German dictator Adolf Hitler said of the artifact, which was hidden in a salt mine during World War II before it was recovered by the Allies’ Monuments Men in 1945. ", It’s Official: Tut’s Tomb Has No Hidden Chambers After All, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/05/king-tut-tutankhamun-tomb-radar-results-science.html. NILE #17. All Rights Reserved. The scientific report submitted on Saturday by Porcelli to Waziri and Khaled El Enany, Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities, ends with the statement: "We conclude, with a very high level of confidence, that the hypothesis concerning the existence of hidden chambers adjacent [to] Tutankhamun’s tomb is not supported by the GPR data. 8 Hour Tour to Nefertari's Tomb, King Tut's Tomb, Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut Temple, and Karnak Temples (From $300.00) Private Tour Valley of the Kings and Queens and Hatshepsut Temple (From $102.00) Nefertari, Seti I and Ramesses VI. "The rock itself could have properties that cause this phenomenon," Porcelli explains. e-mail; 1.1k shares. 62. Science has killed hopes for any new movies based on the mummy of Queen Nefertiti being released from her secret burial chamber in the tomb of Tutankhamun. This tomb is located on the west bank of the Nile, at the height of the current city of Luxor. (Nefertiti was King Tut’s stepmother.) “It proves the technique, and it is proof of concept for great work that can be done in Egypt. The report submitted to Egyptian officials today includes the results of three new GPR scans, conducted in February 2018 by three independent teams and each using a different frequency—high, medium, and low. The sculpture of the Egyptian beauty wearing a distinctive flat-topped blue crown attracted worldwide attention and is now on display in a Berlin museum. Following a contentious discussion over the discrepancy between the results of the two scans at the 2016 International Tutankhamun GEM Conference, Minister El Enany commissioned a comprehensive "tie-breaker" radar analysis. Ever since archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the treasure-packed tomb in Luxor's Valley of the Kings in 1922, experts have believed the space to be strangely small for a pharaoh. As Reeves’ visit to Egypt draws closer, the suspense crescendoes. Hidden doorways in the ancient Egyptian tomb of King Tutankhamun may lead to the long-lost resting place of Queen Nefertiti, a scientist has claimed. With no tomb yet dug for pharaoh’s sole use, KV62 was reopened and accessed. ", SOURCES: THEBAN MAPPING PROJECT, Ministry of State for Antiquities. “Rather, the indications are that what we now know as KV 62 represents merely the outermost portion of an extended, corridor-style ‘tomb-within-a-tomb.’”. Diagram showing possible location of storeroom behind west wall of King Tut’s tomb. © 2021 A&E Television Networks, LLC. This is especially important when many in the Egyptian archaeological community still regard the technology with skepticism, despite its proven track record at ancient sites around the world. (Nefertiti was likely King Tut’s stepmother, although some Egyptologists believe she was the boy-king’s biological mother.) 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