The mysterious whereabouts of Cleopatra’s tomb have left archeologists stumped for decades, but now one archeologist may have found a clue closer to where the Egyptian ruler is buried. The news has rattled the archeological community. Here’s what we know.
Kathleen Martinez, an archeologist from the University of San Domingo, led the team of archaeologists behind this discovery. They found a tunnel roughly 43 feet underneath a temple in the ancient city of Taposiris Magna, west of the ancient city of Alexandria. The tunnel is about 4,300 feet long and around 6.6 feet high. Unfortunately, it is partly submerged underwater, which could be due to earthquakes. The tunnel is “an exact replica of Eupalinos Tunnel in Greece, which is considered as one of the most important engineering achievements of antiquity,” Martinz told Live Science. Both tunnels’ main functions were to carry water. The site is located beneath a temple that honored the Egyptian god of the underworld, Osiris, and the Egyptian goddess, who was his wife, Isis.
Cleopatra associated herself with the goddess Isis when she was alive and ruling, which is one of the clues that led Martinez to believe Cleopatra was buried at this temple. Many believe that Cleopatra is buried alongside her lover, Mark Antony. Their story is one of tragedy and love. Cleopatra was a well-educated and intelligent ruler. She could speak several languages and ruled during Ptolemaic Egypt. Cleopatra’s courtship of Antony was strategic and turned into a passionate romance, where they welcomed three children together. But tragedy was around the corner. Egypt was under attack, and Antony was out at battle when he heard a rumor that Cleopatra had ended her life. Immediately, Antony fell on his sword. Cleopatra was devastated, and while no one is precisely sure how Cleopatra passed away, many believe that she had let a poisonous snake, the asp, bite her. Her last wishes were to be buried with Antony - but since then, it has remained an unsolved mystery.
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From the treasures found in King Tut’s tomb to a vast tunnel beneath a temple, there is always a rich discovery waiting to be made within the world of Ancient Egypt. Do you think these tunnels will lead to Cleopatra’s tomb?
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