Hidden chambers found near Tutankhamun’s tomb fuel nefertiti search
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Archaeologists in Egypt are investigating potential hidden chambers behind the tomb of Tutankhamun, known as KV62, in the Valley of the Kings. A research team combined new geophysical measurements with existing archaeological data, revealing indications of undiscovered passages and rooms beyond the known sections of the tomb.
British archaeologist Howard Carter first discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, but its small size and unusual layout have puzzled Egyptologists for decades.
The recent research, published in Occasional Papers of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project, used ground-penetrating radar and microgravity measurements to identify areas of differing density beneath the surface. These measurements suggest the possibility of an older complex of corridors and rooms, including a passage approximately two meters wide filled with debris. Researchers also identified areas of low density that could indicate artificial spaces.
This discovery has revived a theory proposed in 2015 by Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves, who suggested that KV62 might be part of a larger royal burial complex potentially containing the lost tomb of Nefertiti, a queen of Egypt. Mamdouh Eldamaty, an archaeologist at Ain Shams University in Cairo, believes confirming the extension could be very important for archaeology in the Valley of the Kings, even if it doesn’t lead to Nefertiti’s tomb.
The Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt must now approve further invasive research, which could begin as early as November 2026, involving small openings and cameras to explore the potential hidden spaces.
