Egypt's Queen Nefertiti may lie concealed in Tutankhamun's tomb, says archaeologist Updated High-resolution scans indicate that Egypt's Queen Nefertiti is buried behind one of two hidden chambers in King Tutankhamun's underground tomb, a British archaeologist says. Egyptologists have never discovered the mummy of Nefertiti, a regal beauty who played a major political and religious role in the 14th Century BC. Dr Nicholas Reeves, from the University of Arizona, has been using radar and thermal imaging technology to examine Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, southern Egypt. He told a news conference in Cairo that he believes Tutankhamun's mausoleum was originally occupied by Nefertiti, thought by experts to have been the king's stepmother. His theory is that Nefertiti has lain undisturbed behind what he believes is a partition wall for more than 3,000 years. The archaeologist believes the boy king, who died unexpectedly at 19, was buried in a rush in an underground burial chamber that was probably not intended for him. Reuters/AFP
Scans suggest '90pc' chance of hidden chamber in King Tutankhamun's tomb, experts say Updated Chances are high that the tomb of ancient Egypt's boy-king Tutankhamun has passages to a hidden chamber, which may be the last resting place of Queen Nefertiti, experts say. Nefertiti, thought to have been Tutankhamun's stepmother, died in the 14th century BC, and the discovery of her final resting place would be the most remarkable Egyptian archaeological find this century. British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves announced plans for further investigations at a news conference with Egyptian antiquities minister Mamdouh al-Damaty, who said data would be taken to Japan for study and that chances were high that a chamber existed. "We said earlier there was a 60 per cent chance there is something behind the walls. The discovery of Nefertiti, whose chiselled cheek-bones and regal beauty were immortalized in a 3,300-year-old bust now in a Berlin museum, would shed fresh light on what remains a mysterious period of Egyptian history despite frenzied international interest.
Pharaoh Tutankhamun's wet nurse was his older sister, archaeologist says Posted Maia, Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun's wet nurse, may have actually been his sister Meritaten, the archaeologist who found her tomb says, reviving speculation about the identity of the boy king's mother. DNA tests have proved that the pharaoh Akhenaten was the father of Tutankhamun, but the identity of his mother has long been a mystery. On Sunday, Egyptian officials and French archaeologist Alain Zivie unveiled Maia's tomb to journalists ahead of its opening to the public next month. The tomb was discovered by Dr Zivie in 1996 in Saqqara, a necropolis about 20 kilometres south of Cairo. Maia was the wet nurse of Tutankhamun, whose mummy was found in 1922 by renowned British Egyptologist Howard Carter in the Valley of Kings in Luxor along with a treasure trove of thousands of objects. "Maia is none other than princess Meritaten, the sister or half-sister of Tutankhamun and the daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti," Dr Zivie said. "The extraordinary thing is that they are very similar.
Facts about the River Nile for Kids The River Nile is about 6,670 km (4,160 miles) in length and is the longest river in Africa and in the world. Although it is generally associated with Egypt, only 22% of the Nile’s course runs through Egypt. In Egypt, the River Nile creates a fertile green valley across the desert. The River Nile is in Africa. Map of the River Nile from space Notice that the land is green on either side of the Nile. Lake Victoria, Africa's biggest lake, is generally thought of as the source of the River Nile. The true source of the River Nile Ripon Falls may be the starting-point of the river, but the many streams that flow into Lake Victoria could claim to be the true source. Much of Lake Victoria is surrounded by mountains with streams tumbling down into the lake. The River Nile is formed from the White Nile, which originates at Lake Victoria and the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. Back to the top Ancient Egypt could not have existed without the river Nile. Hapi was the Nile god.
Discovering Ancient Egypt Ancient Egyptian History for Kids: Pharaohs Back to Ancient Egypt for Kids The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt were the supreme leaders of the land. They were like kings or emperors. They ruled both upper and lower Egypt and were both the political and religious leader. The Pharaoh was often thought of as one of the gods. The name Pharaoh comes from a word meaning "great house" describing a palace or kingdom. Historians divide up the timeline of Ancient Egyptian history by the dynasties of the Pharaohs. There were many great Pharaohs throughout the history of Ancient Egypt. Akhenaten - Akhenaten was famous for saying there was only one god, the sun god. Hatshepsut - A lady Pharaoh, Hatshepsut was originally regent for her son, but she took on the power of Pharaoh. Amenhotep III - Amenhotep III ruled for 39 years of great prosperity. Ramses II - Often called Ramses the Great, he ruled Egypt for 67 years. Fun Facts about Pharaohs Pepy II became Pharaoh at the age of 6. More information on the civilization of Ancient Egypt:
Meaning of colour in ancient Egypt; Black The colour black represented death and the afterlife to the ancient Egyptians. Osiris was given the epithet "the black one" because he was the king of the netherworld and both he and Anubis (the god of embalming) were portrayed with black faces. However, the Egyptians also associated black with fertility and resurrection because much of their agriculture was dependant on the rich dark silt deposited on the river banks by the Nile during the inundation. When used to represent resurrection, black and green were interchangeable. As a result, the gods Osiris and Geb were depicted with black or green skin to emphasise their connection with fertility. Egypt was known as Kemet, "the black land" and it is though that this was a reference to the Nile not a description of ethnicity. Black could also be associated with chaos and outsiders. Black paint was made from soot or charcoal and occasionally from an ore of manganese. Buy beautiful black onyx jewellery from Kemet Design copyright J Hill 2010
Ancient Egypt Painting, Minor Arts and Music Plus Minor Arts and Music In Egypt, except during the reign of the Ptolemies and under the influence of Greece, ancient Egypt painting never rose to the status of an independent art. Painting remained an accessory to architecture, sculpture and relief, the painter filled in the outlines carved by the cutting tool. But though subordinate, it was ubiquitous; most statues were painted, all surfaces were colored. It is an art perilously subject to time, and lacking the persistence of statuary and building. Very little remains to us of Old Kingdom painting beyond a remarkable picture of six geese from a tomb at Medum; but from this alone we are justified in believing that already in the early dynasties this art, too, had come near to perfection. Ancient Egypt Painting, Minor Arts and Music Under the Empire the tombs became a riot of painting. Floors were painted to look like transparent pools, and ceilings sought to rival the jewelry of the sky. The minor arts were the major art of Egypt.
Ancient Egyptian Society The ancient Egyptian civilisation spanned thousands of years, and was both complex and fascinating. Diet The Egyptians had a varied diet including ; bread; meat and fish; fruit and vegetables; nuts, seeds and beans; and numerous herbs and spices. Beer was an important part of their diet and they also made wine and milk. Make your own food with these fun ancient Egyptian recipes. Clothing, Crowns and Regalia The ancient Egyptians generally wore white linen clothing, well suited to the heat of the desert. The pharaoh carried many additional items which acted as emblems of royal power and had a number of different crowns for different occasions. Jewellery, Perfume and Incense As life in an ancient city could be rather smelly, they also developed beautiful incense and perfume which was thought to have medicinal qualities and was associated with the gods. All Egyptians wore jewellery, and some beautiful pieces have been recovered from burial sites. Administration Military Animals in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptian mummified head 'brought to life' in Melbourne Updated The 2,000 year-old mummified head of an ancient Egyptian woman has been restored using modern day technology. Led by the University of Melbourne, a team of experts has reconstructed the relic with the help of CT scanning, a 3D-printed skull, forensic science and art. Dubbed Meritamun, experts believe the she was young when she died — between 18-25 years of age — but little else about her is known. Dr Ryan Jefferies, curator at the university's Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology, said the recreation came about when the head was checked to ensure its preservation. He said it was in remarkably good condition and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine was able to scan the mummified remains. "This allowed for a non-invasive technique where we were able to see through all of the layers of the specimen, including the remanent muscle and all of the skull," he said. He said the reconstruction was a snapshot into the past. "The advances in technology are making it easier.