The burial site of Egypt’s last pharoh, the famous Queen Cleopatra, may soon be revealed to the world.
A tunnel – deemed a ‘geometric miracle’ by archaeologists – has been found beneath the ancient Taposiris Magna Temple.
Measuring six feet high and stretching for almost a mile, it could lead to Cleopatra’s long-lost tomb.
Archaeologist Kathleen Martinez from the University of San Domingo believes Cleopatra and her lover Mark Antony were laid to rest within the temple, which is located near the ancient Egyptian capital of Alexandria.
‘This is the perfect place for the tomb of Cleopatra,’ she told Heritage Key, adding that the find would be the ‘most important discovery of the 21st century.’
‘If there’s a one per cent chance that the last queen of Egypt could be buried there, it is my duty to search for her,’ explained the archaeologist, who has been working for ten years to find the whereabouts of Cleopatra’s tomb.
The tunnel sits about 43 feet underneath Egypt’s ancient Taposiris Magna Temple, or ‘Great tomb of Osiris, located outside ancient Egypt’s capital Alexandria (Provider: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)
The famous queen was 39 years old when she committed suicide in 30BC. She came from a long line to Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt – descended from Greek general Alexander the Great.
Cleopatra was buried alongside her lover Mark Antony, Ceaser’s second-in-command, who also killed himself after they were defeated by their political rival Octavian.
The tunnel sits about 43 feet underneath Egypt’s ancient Taposiris Magna Temple, or ‘Great tomb of Osiris, located outside ancient Egypt’s capital Alexandria (Provider: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)
The famous queen was 39 years old when she committed suicide in 30BC. She came from a long line to Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt – descended from Greek general Alexander the Great.
Cleopatra was buried alongside her lover Mark Antony, Ceaser’s second-in-command, who also killed himself after they were defeated by their political rival Octavian.
The temple of Taposiris Magna is near the ancient Egyptian capital of Alexandria (Credits: Getty Images/National Geographic)
At least 23 earthquakes hit the Egyptian coast between 320 AD and 1303 AD, which caused a portion of the Temple of Taposiris Magna to sink and collapse.
The research team is also reportedly attempting to uncover a portion of the temple’s foundations that have been revealed by countless of archaeological pieces of evidence.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said: ‘It is noteworthy that the mission, during previous excavation seasons, was able to find many important artefacts inside the Temple including coins bearing the images and names of both Queen Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, and a number of beheaded statues, and statues of the goddess Isis, as well patterns and figurines of various shapes and sizes.’
Does this tunnel lead to Cleopatra’s tomb? (Provider: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)
Past excavations have so far uncovered a network of tunnels stretching from King Marriott Lake to the Mediterranean and 16 burials inside rock-cut tombs commonly used in the Greek and Roman periods.
In addition, several mummies highlighting the features of the mummification process during the Greek and Roman periods have also been discovered.
Leave a Reply