King Tut's tomb may hold secret of Nefertiti's burial chamber
Hidden rooms 'could be the discovery of the century' and unearth final resting place of the legendary queen

Archaeologists working on Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt believe they have discovered two secret rooms that could be the burial chamber of the legendary Queen Nefertiti.
Radar scans of the burial site showed a high probability of two additional rooms concealed behind the main complex. The findings suggest the existence of a hidden door, covered by a wall painted over with hieroglyphs, and the presence of both metallic and organic matter inside the unexplored chambers.
Plan showing the location of the rooms next to Tutankhamun's tomb. Credit: Ministry of Antiquities
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Scientists are investigating a theory put forward last October by British Egyptologist Dr Nicholas Reeves, who believes murals inside the tomb indicate that the queen's remains lie somewhere within.
Nefertiti, who is thought to have died around seven years before Tutankhamun, was the chief wife of the boy king's father, Akhenaten. A sculpture of her, dating back to 1345BC, has become one of the most recognisable artefacts of Ancient Egypt, possibly only second to the death mask of Tutankhamun himself.
Egypt's antiquities minister, Dr Mamdouh Eldamaty, told a press conference he was now "more than 90 per cent" certain that the chambers are there.
"Maybe it could be the lady of the family, as Reeves has said," he said, adding that any mummies found could also be those of Kiya, who is thought to have been Tutankhamun's mother, or his half-sister, Ankhesenamun.
Whatever or whoever lies within the site at the historic Valley of the Kings, the discovery of two untouched chambers would be a hugely significant find.
"It could be the discovery of the century," Eldamaty added. "It is very important for Egyptian history and for all of the world."
More advanced scans will be carried out before archaeologists can consider unsealing the hidden rooms.
However, some experts have expressed concerns about disturbing the remains - not due to fears of King Tut's curse, but because of the damage digs could inflict on the site.
"Sometimes, it's best to just leave them in the ground," archaeologist Michael Jones, of the American Research Centre in Egypt, told The Guardian. "Archaeology is a process of controlled destruction. Unless there's a real threat, the best thing might be to leave something where it is."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - March 26, 2025
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - ice cold eggs, lax security, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The strange phenomenon of beard transplants
In The Spotlight Inquiries for the procedure have tripled since 2020, according to one clinician, as prospective patients reportedly seek a more 'masculine' look
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: March 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Arab leaders embrace Egypt's Gaza rebuilding plan
Speed Read The $53 billion proposal would rebuild Gaza without displacing Palestinian residents
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published