Tutankhamun’s famous tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings may originally have been built for a different ruler, according to a new study published in the Occasional Papers of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project. Researchers using advanced geophysical techniques report a high probability that hidden chambers, potentially housing the burial complex of the ancient Egyptian queen, lie just 25 to 30 meters north of KV62.
New Geophysical Evidence Points to Hidden Rooms Beyond KV62
Researchers investigating Tutankhamun’s tomb have identified a series of potential hidden chambers extending north of the main burial site. According to lead researcher Mamdouh Eldamaty, an archaeologist at Ain Shams University in Cairo and former antiquities minister, data gathered from recent non-invasive surveys strongly suggest a “hidden complex” of corridors and rooms that pre-dates the entombment of the Boy King.
Structural engineer and GBG Group president George Ballard analyzed results from ground-penetrating radar (GPR) conducted inside the tomb. Ballard is confident the data reveals a two-meter-wide corridor densely packed with rubble leading away from the burial chamber. Because GPR has a limited range through stone walls, the team also deployed a microgravity survey—the first use of gravitational techniques to probe the density of ground around the site.
According to Ballard, more than 1,200 readings across a 35-square-metre area show low-density structures with right angles that run parallel to the tomb’s north wall. These findings build upon electrical resistivity tomography and geological mapping conducted during seven major field campaigns.
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British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves first proposed in 2015 that KV62 might hide Nefertiti’s tomb, noting that the structure is a “left-turning monument” matching Eighteenth Dynasty architectural norms for queenly burials.
The Case for Queen Nefertiti
Nefertiti ruled Egypt immediately before Tutankhamun and may have held full pharaoh status under the name Smenkhkare, as noted by researchers. Her body has never been found, making her the prime candidate for the tomb’s original owner.
Howard Carter, who originally uncovered KV62 in 1922, along with other experts, long noted that the tomb appears unusually small for a royal burial. Reeves pointed out lines and cracks in the north wall of the burial chamber, alongside ancient alterations to the room’s wall paintings, as indicators of a false wall designed to conceal further chambers.
Under this theory, when young Tutankhamun died unexpectedly in the fourteenth century BC, the front part of the tomb was hurriedly repurposed for his remains, while the deeper sections belonging to Nefertiti were blocked off with rubble in antiquity.
Approval Pending for Invasive Exploration
To confirm the existence of these spaces and identify who rests inside, archaeologists must physically open the walls of KV62 and deploy a small camera. According to Nature reporting, the decision now rests with Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Study co-author George Ballard stated that if approved, careful drilling to deploy miniature tractors equipped with cameras could start as early as November. The study authors have formally applied for permission and hope to peer behind the walls of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
If confirmed, the authors write that the discovery would rank among the most transformative of the modern era, reshaping understandings of the Amarna Period’s political, religious, and dynastic history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Nefertiti?
Nefertiti was an ancient Egyptian queen who ruled alongside Akhenaten and may have served as pharaoh under the name Smenkhkare immediately before Tutankhamun’s reign.
Where is Tutankhamun’s tomb located?
Tutankhamun’s tomb, designated KV62, is located in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile opposite Luxor.
What methods did researchers use to find the hidden chambers?
Researchers used ground-penetrating radar (GPR), microgravity surveys, electrical resistivity tomography, and thermal imaging to probe the density and structure of the rock surrounding the tomb.
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