A mysterious tunnel discovered beneath an Egyptian temple could lead to the lost tomb of Egypt's legendary queen, Cleopatra.
A team of archaeologists recently discovered this 1500-meter-long and approximately 1.8-meter-high passage, which they described as a “geometric miracle.”
The discovery was made as part of an archaeological mission from the University of San Domingo, led by Dr. Kathleen Martinez.
Last week, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that Martinez and her team had managed to uncover this tunnel.
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The tunnel was discovered underground by archaeologists excavating the temple of Taposiris Magna, located west of Alexandria.
Martinez has long believed that the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, is likely buried in the temple alongside her lover Mark Antony.
Martinez told Heritage Key: “This is the perfect place for Cleopatra’s tomb.”
"If there is even a small chance that the last queen of Egypt is buried where I am looking, I must find her," he said.
Martinez stressed that if her team manages to discover Cleopatra's tomb, it would be the most important discovery of the 21st century. However, she said that even if the tomb is not found, we will still have a profit, as important discoveries have already been made inside and outside the temple.
Cleopatra was born in 70 or 69 BC and was queen of Ptolemaic Egypt from 51 BC to 30 BC – until the day she died. After Cleopatra’s death, the ancient Egyptian empire came to an end, as Rome made Egypt a Roman province. Royal tombs were usually built for kings, but it is more likely that Cleopatra was buried humbly in a rather simple tomb due to her status as a captive when she died.
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Some experts believe that the beautiful queen was buried in Alexandria, the place where she was born and where she ruled for most of life .
Others say he was buried at the historical site of Taposiris Magna, where the tunnel was discovered. As we mentioned above, this area with the temple of the same name was located near Alexandria.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism has claimed that the recently discovered tunnel in Egypt bears a striking resemblance to the Eupalinos Tunnel in Greece, although the Egyptian one is larger.
Archaeologists found important artifacts inside the tunnel, including statues, ceramics, coins bearing the images and names of Queen Cleopatra and Alexander the Great, and statues of the goddess Isis.
Archaeologists discovered during their excavations and research that part of the tunnel was located under the Mediterranean Sea.
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The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the discovery confirms archaeologists' suspicions that part of the temple's foundations are also submerged.
The archaeologists' work at the temple was difficult, as at least 23 earthquakes struck the area between 320 AD and 1303 AD– which caused part of the temple to collapse.
Additionally, archaeologists have discovered a series of tunnels that run from King Mariout Lake in Alexandria to the Mediterranean Sea. Excavations and research in the area are ongoing. Cleopatra remains one of the most iconic and well-known female historical figures , and finding her tomb would be considered a huge archaeological achievement.
Source: www.news.com.au
