Friday, April 25, 2008

Search for tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony

adnkronos international

Thanks very much to Pier for sending me this English version of yesterday's Spanish post on the same subject.

Archaeologists have revealed plans to uncover the 2000 year-old tomb of ancient Egypt's most famous lovers, Cleopatra and the Roman general Mark Antony later this year.

Zahi Hawass, prominent archaeologist and director of Egypt's superior council for antiquities announced a proposal to test the theory that the couple were buried together.

He discussed the project in Cairo at a media conference about the ancient pharaohs.

Hawass said that the remains of the legendary Egyptian queen and her Roman lover, Mark Antony, were inside a temple called Tabusiris Magna, 30 kilometres from the port city of Alexandria in northern Egypt.

Until recently access to the tomb has been hindered because it is under water, but archaeologists plan to drain the site so they can begin excavation in November.

Among the clues to suggest that the temple may contain Cleopatra's remains is the discovery of numerous coins with the face of the queen.

According to Hawas, Egyptologists have also uncovered a 120-metre-long underground tunnel with many rooms, some of which could contain more details about Cleopatra.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This from the man who forbids "unfounded speculation" by others and then drums them out of Egypt if they dare give an opinion (Barry Kemp will be next...). What a hypocrite Hawass is.

Anonymous said...

CLEOPATRA DEFINETELY DIDNT WANT TO BE DISCOVERED...

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR FOUND TWO CORPS AND A TOMB?...

ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ ΠΟΙΟΣ Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ...
ΑΠΛΗ ΠΕΡΙΕΡΓΕΙΑ...

Anonymous said...

Harwass is man who listens to no ones opinion but his own. He will not allow other archaeologist to have their own opinions or he will not let them excavate in egypt. Once you've crossed him you give up any chance to do any dig or research in egypt.