CAIRO — Egypt's Antiquities Ministry says it's inviting an Egyptologist behind a theory that the tomb of Queen Nefertiti may be located behind King Tutankhamun's 3,300-year-old tomb in the famed Valley of the Kings. Wednesday's statement says British-educated expert Nicholas Reeves has been invited to Cairo in September to debate his theory with Egyptian colleagues. It says there could also be a joint expedition to Luxor, where the 18th Dynasty King Tut's tomb is located. Reeves argues that Tut, who died suddenly at the age of 19, may have been rushed into an outer chamber of Nefertiti's original tomb. He says high resolution images show Tut's tomb might have two unexplored doorways. Some archaeologists believe the mummy of Nefertiti, fabled for her beauty, has already been found in a different tomb. Earlier this month, Reeves claimed he may have unearthed evidence that Nefertiti lies buried inside Tutankhamun's tomb. While the remains of Nefertiti – made famous by a much-copied bust of her that sits in a Berlin museum – have not yet been found, Reeves, an archaeologist at the University of Arizona, said in a recent article that she could be interred in Tutankhamun's tomb. The tomb of Tutankhamun, who some believe to be Nefertiti's son, was discovered in 1922, and is still known perhaps the most sensational historical find of the 20th century. According to new research, Nefertiti's remains may be situated in a portal leading from Tutankhamen's burial chamber. The finds were made last year, after Spanish artistic and preservation specialists Factum Arte were tasked with producing detailed scans of Tutankhamun's tomb. According to Reeves, digital scans of Tutankhamun's tomb published last year have yielded results that are “beyond intriguing.” His hypothesis is that two previously unknown sealed-off doorways lead off from the room where Tutankhamun's sarcophagus was found. The discovery of Tutankhamun's resting place nine decades ago by English archaeologist Howard Carter was known as one of the most intact ancient Egyptian tombs ever found. Around 2,000 objects – including the king's solid golden burial mask, which today sits in Cairo's main museum. If a similar volume of objects were found elsewhere in Nefertiti's tomb, it would represent “quite a coup,” said Reeves. — Agencies
