Nefertiti mummy 'found in Egypt'

BBC News ^ | 10 June 2003 | BBC staff

[Constitution Day]

Nefertiti mummy 'found in Egypt'

Scientists in Egypt say they may have discovered the mummy of Queen Nefertiti, one of the most famous figures of ancient Egypt.

A group of scientists believe that she is one of three mummies discovered in a secret chamber of a tomb known as KV35 in Egypt's Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

The tomb was originally located and catalogued in 1898, but the mummies were sealed up and apparently forgotten, until scientists drilled through to the room.

"There is a very, very strong possibility that... this in fact is the great female Pharaoh Nefertiti herself," said British mummification expert Dr Joann Fletcher, who led the expedition, which was sponsored by the Discovery Channel.

The whereabouts of the remains of Nefertiti, perhaps the most powerful woman in ancient Egypt, have for many years been one of archaeology's most enduring mysteries.

However, critics say that without DNA evidence to verify the claims, it is unlikely to be the remains of the queen.

'Heretic' couple

Queen Nefertiti, along with her husband the pharaoh Akhenaten, ruled from 1353-1336 BC during the so-called 18th dynasty of ancient Egyptian rulers.

However, virtually all traces of the queen and her "heretic" husband were erased, after his unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the pantheon of Egyptian gods and replace worship of them with the sun god Aton, in one of the earliest known practices of monotheism.

Dr Fletcher said she became interested in the mummy after identifying a wig, which had been found by three mummies catalogued by scientists, as being a Nubian-style wig favoured by royal women in the 18th dynasty.

Further examination of the mummy in the side room revealed the remains of the younger woman had a doubled-pierced ear lobe, shaved head, and the clear impression of the tight-fitting brow-band worn by royalty.

Wishful thinking?

The mummy - which had been defaced and mutilated - also had an arm removed, which was found in its wrappings bent at the elbow, a possible sign that it had originally held a royal sceptre, Dr Fletcher said.

The other two mummies, a teenage boy and an older woman, have not yet been identified.

However, other scientists have expressed doubts that the remains could be that of the famous queen.

"Physical evidence known and published prior to this expedition indicates the unlikelihood of it being the mummy of Nefertiti," Egyptologist Susan James said.

"Without any comparative DNA studies, statements of certainty are merely wishful thinking."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/2978710.stm

Published: 2003/06/10 14:27:57 GMT

© BBC MMIII

[Rich_E]

"Hey, she's a mighty fine looking woman, I wouldn't mind going out with her..." (/clinton)

[Migraine]

Nefertiti: One of the ancient world's most beautiful women

Mr. Potatohead would dig her.

[lafroste]

However, critics say that without DNA evidence to verify the claims, it is unlikely to be the remains of the queen.

Wrong. It either is Nefrititi or it is not, regardless of the DNA evidence. Evidence does not supplant reality for truth. It should have said something along the lines of "without corroberating DNA evidence, we will never know for sure..."

Its my pet peeve of the day, no wonder people have such trouble learning to think.

[bannie]

Don't most women have heads that don't slope? I thought that was a male characteristic?

aaaaaaah, well...may be mistaken...

[bannie]

Bill would "do her."

YUCK!

[Constitution Day]

That sentence jumped out at me too.

People say I'm picky about things like that. I just think they're lazy thinkers.

[bedolido]

what dna would they test against?

[bedolido]

you watch the history channel too... interesting program on Imhotep. Chief archaetech (however you spell it)if I remember right.

[Frank_Discussion]

LOL... No, I watch movies! The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, y'know...

(Now that I've stopped laughing, I WOULD have watched the History Channel thingie, if only I was not such a cheapskate. No cable or satellite system, you see.)

[Frank_Discussion]

"Boy, Neffie, yo shore gotta purdy mouth!"

[cake_crumb]

"However, critics say that without DNA evidence to verify the claims, it is unlikely to be the remains of the queen."

DNA evidence? Stupid.

[RightWhale]

Its my pet peeve of the day

Be careful of catching peevepox.

[xJones]

what dna would they test against?

There are other royal mummies that have been identified by cartouches from around that time. The DNA problem begins when you read the history. The Egyptian pharoahs practiced inter-family breeding on a grand scale. Contructing an historical family tree for any Egyptian dynasty is worth a migraine headache. How they can tell the right mummy from the wrong mummy for DNA testing will be fascinating.

[cryptical]

what dna would they test against?

IIRC Discovery channel had a mention in a show about a study that was gathering DNA from mummies to explore relationships in ancient egyptian royalty.

[cake_crumb]

"However, virtually all traces of the queen and her 'heretic' husband were erased, after his unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the pantheon of Egyptian gods and replace worship of them with the sun god Aton, in one of the earliest known practices of monotheism"

Egypt then went on to worship a minor moon god from another country in the 7th century AD....

Akhenaten and to a lesser extent Nefertiti might have been wackjobs, but the irony of it just hit me...

[cake_crumb]

"The Egyptian pharoahs practiced inter-family breeding on a grand scale"

There was also a theory that young Pharaos-to-be may not have been the products of the married brothers and sisters' unions...it's still gonna be tough.

[bedolido]

o O (note to self... read article at slower pace)

[The Westerner]

Thanks for posting this. It's always a pleasure to look at her sculpted head. One of the benefits of an earlier American public school education is that we were taught the history of Egypt as part of a course on Western Civ.

[Mamzelle]

Truly lovely sculpture. Looks like Audrey Hepburn in profile.

[Nefertiti]

Very Interesting....ty for the ping ;)

Nefertiti@-->---