The whereabouts of Queen Nefertiti’s mummified remains have been found! Or at least a well-known Egyptologist claims so.
Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, was part of the Egypt-led team that conducted a high-profile excavation in Luxor’s Valley of the Kings that allegedly discovered ornaments once possessed by King Tut. Last December, the team announced the discovery of many unidentified mummies, including one that Hawass believes is the renowned supreme leader.
“We already have DNA from the 18th dynasty mummies, from Akhenaten to Amenhotep II or III, and there are two unnamed mummies labeled KV21a and b.” He shared. “In October, we will be able to announce the discovery of the mummy of Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun’s wife, and her mother, Nefertiti.”
“There is also in tomb KV35 the mummy of a 10-year-old boy,” he said. “If that child is the brother of Tutankhamun and the son of Akhenaten, the problem posed by Nefertiti will be solved.”
Who is Queen Nefertiti?
Neferneferuaten Nefertiti ruled alongside her husband, Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, 3,300 years ago, during a time of great wealth and social upheaval. Amenhotep IV converted Egypt from polytheism to a monotheistic cult dedicated to the sun’s disk, Aton. He changed his last name to Akhenaten, which means “beneficial to Aten,” and relocated the capital from Thebes to a haphazardly built city called Akhetaten, which means “horizon of the god Aten.” After his death, Egypt’s traditional culture was restored, and most Akhenaten monuments were defaced or destroyed. He was removed from the kingdom’s list of rulers, and the specifications of his and Nefertiti’s burials were concealed.
Hawass’ presumed exploration of Nefertiti is the fourth in seven years. Lately, archaeologist Nicholas Reeves proposed that the Egyptian Queen was trying to hide in a hidden chamber in King Tutankhamun’s large tomb, which was discovered in 1922. A more controversial theory, first proposed in 2003, tried to claim she was one of three unidentified mummies discovered in Pharaoh Amenhotep II’s tomb. Egypt’s Ministry of Culture has rejected both theories.
While all of this sounds extremely interesting, all we can think about is the movie “The Mummy”. In that context, let sleeping “mummies” lie? Do you agree?
