The search for ancient Egypt’s Queen Nefertiti has gained fresh momentum with Egypt’s antiquities minister Mamduh Al Damati saying that experts are “approximately 90 per cent certain” that a queen’s tomb is lying hidden behind King Tutankhamun’s 3,300-year-old pharaonic mausoleum.
If it is true, the discovery would not only overshadow that of the boy king, but would give a much-needed fillip to Egypt’s troubled tourism industry. Yet, it raises important questions. Can the archaeologists proceed with their investigation without destroying the walls of King Tut’s tomb? Can the priceless wall paintings be relatively preserved while making way into the secret chamber? Is there a way to ascertain what’s inside before going in?
Perhaps it would be wise to wait to leave everything intact until a more advanced technology is available so we can know for sure. After all, there might well be an even bigger secret than Nefertiti’s tomb that could be destroyed in any hasty search.
