Scientists May Have Just Found a Key Clue in the Hunt for Cleopatra’s Long-Lost Tomb: Here’s Everything We Know

Scientists whitethorn person conscionable made a awesome find successful their hunt for Cleopatra’s long-lost tomb.

Archaeologist Kathleen Martínez — along pinch nan thief of famed oceanographer Bob Ballard and a squad of underwater researchers — discovered what whitethorn beryllium “a sunken larboard successful nan depths of nan Mediterranean Sea,” adjacent nan ruins of nan Taposiris Magna temple successful Egypt, per National Geographic. 

The now-submerged building is successful adjacent proximity to a 4,265-foot underground passageway that connected nan temple to nan sea.

A bid of ample buildings, “arranged successful rows and complete 20-feet high,” was besides found. The underwater structures included “polished floors, cemented blocks, columns, soft stone” and “multiple anchors” and retention jars that were “dated to nan clip of Cleopatra.” 

This suggests that nan submerged tract could person been a larboard erstwhile utilized by nan celebrated Egyptian queen, per National Geographic.

The find supports Martínez’s mentation that Cleopatra’s body was brought to Taposiris Magna earlier being laid to remainder there, "hidden and retired of scope of nan Romans.” In this scenario, her remains would person been transported to nan area via nan larboard and past carried to their last resting spot successful nan temple done nan tunnel.

Many historians judge that Cleopatra was buried pinch her love, Mark Antony, successful Alexandria — though her tomb has ne'er been recovered there. Martínez, however, theorizes that Cleopatra whitethorn person devised a concealed replacement scheme for her funeral pinch Antony truthful that nan Romans would not find their bodies. 

“She had to take a location wherever she could consciousness safe for her afterlife pinch Mark Antony,” Martínez explained to nan outlet.

Martínez said she considered each nan imaginable temples Cleopatra could person reached from Alexandria wrong a day, and she yet landed connected Taposiris Magna. Her squad began their hunt location successful October 2005.

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Martínez told nan outlet that nan caller findings only make her much dedicated to uncovering nan tomb. 

“I’m not going to stop,” she said of nan search. “For me, it’s a matter of time.”

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced nan find of nan submerged larboard successful a statement shared connected Facebook connected Thursday, Sept. 18.

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The ministry said nan find “reflects nan humanities and maritime extent of ancient Egypt,” and emphasizes “that its coasts were not conscionable municipality centers, but strategical hubs for waste and acquisition and taste connection pinch the ancient world.”

The find is documented successful nan upcoming National Geographic special, Cleopatra’s Final Secret, which airs Thursday, Sept. 25, connected Nat Geo and streams nan pursuing time connected Disney+ and Hulu.