Archaeologists believe they may have located the tomb of Queen Cleopatra and her lover, Marc Antony, in Alexandria, Egypt.
Overlooking the Mediterranean and buried deep under the crumbling limestone of a 2,000 year old temple to the goddess Isis is where they believe the body of Cleopatra may lie. Researchers using underground radar have found 3 chambers buried beneath a temple near Alexandria, Egypt, that they believe may hold the remains of Queen Cleopatra and Marc Antony. The tomb of the Egyptian queen has never been found, but archaeologists are discovering more evidence that Cleopatra’s priests carried her body to the temple after her suicide, where it could lie with her lover Marc Antony. “This could be the most important discovery of the 21st century,” Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s chief archaeologist and Director of Egypt’s Superior Council for Antiquities, told reporters on a tour of the temple on Sunday. Hawass believes the tomb’s discovery could be “bigger than that of King Tutankhamun’s,” discovered in 1922.
- Figure Found Resembling Marc Antony
Hawass showcased a range of items found in the skeleton-strewn site; including a fragment of a mask with a cleft chin that he believes could belong to Antony, and 10 mummies of apparent nobles. The discovery near the temple of 22 bronze coins inscribed with Cleopatra’s name strengthened the belief the couple could lie beneath the limestone.
Cleopatra, facing possible captivity in Rome, killed herself allegedly by the sting of an asp. Antony is also thought to have taken his own life after his defeat to Octavian at Actium.
Egypt holds a special place in my heart after a 17 day trip to the egion in September 2008. It had been a lifelong dream for me and my sister, Patty, to see the Egyptian pyramids and tombs. The days we spent there were some of the happiest of my entire life. Since returning home, I’ve said that I’d love to return to Egypt again in the future. The discovery of these tombs might make a return trip something in my near future. Stay tuned for more as this story develops.
Historians believe that Antony and Cleopatra were buried together but digging may have to be postponed until the fall for security reasons, since the temple overlooks a summer home of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
1 response so far ↓
1 PattyCake // Apr 21, 2009 at 12:07 am
Don’t let her fool you…those shots were in Vegas. Just playin’…we were there
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