Discovered in Egypt a tunnel that could lead to Cleopatra's tomb
In Egypt a tunnel over 1300 meters long has been recently discovered, carved into the rock 13 meters deep
Recently a team of archaeologists has identified an underground tunnel that could lead to the tomb of Cleopatra, the last Queen of the Ptolemaic kingdom.
The tunnel, dug into the rock at a deep of 13 meters below the surface of the earth, is located in the area of the temple of Taposiris Magna, west of Alexandria.
According to Egyptian's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, it run for over 1300 meters and is about 2 meters high.
Dr. Kathleen Martinez, head of the team of archaeologists, explained that preliminary studies indicate that the architectural design of the discovered tunnel is very similar to the design of the Yubelinos Tunnel in Greece, but it is longer than it, describing it as an engineering miracle.
She added that during the excavations and archaeological survey of the tunnel, a part of the tunnel was discovered submerged under the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and a number of pottery pots and ceramic jars were also found under the mud deposits, in addition to a rectangular block of limestone.
Among the archaeological evidence is that there is part of the foundations of the Temple of Taposiris Magna submerged under water, which the team is currently working to uncover. According to scientific sources, no less than 23 earthquakes hit the Egyptian coast between the years 320 AD and 1303 AD, which led to the collapse of part of the temple. The Temple of Taposiris Magna may have sunken under the waves.
During previous excavations in the area, it was possible to find many important artifacts inside the temple, including coins bearing the pictures and names of Queen Cleopatra and Alexander the Great, a number of headless statues, and statues of the goddess Isis, in addition to various inscriptions and busts of different shapes and sizes.
Two alabaster heads were found near the temple, one of which is of a person from the Ptolemaic era, and the other is likely to be a statue of Abu sphinx.
All the archaeological finds seem to suggest that the lost tomb of Queen Cleopatra may be close. Archaeologist Kathleen Martinez has always been sure of this, stating with certainty that she can find here the tomb. This area was in fact dedicated to the god Osiris, the husband of Isis. If Cleopatra was the human incarnation of Isis, Mark Antony was the incarnation of Osiris.
In 2004, Dr. Martinez presented her theory to the Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and the following year she obtained permission for the excavation campaign.
According to the Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the team discovered also a network of tunnels extending from Lake King Marriott to the Mediterranean, and 16 burials tombs carved into the rock that were commonly used in the Greek and Roman eras, in addition to a number of mummies that highlight the features of the mummification process during the Greek and Roman eras.
