Shelter Island Egyptologist on what might be the next great discovery
Hard to believe but true: Shelter Island is not only the home of one Egyptologist, but two, and both of them have had front row seats at one of the most interesting, still-developing archeological stories of the decade.
Like all good stories, it’s filled with questions to keep you interested. Is there a chamber full of untold treasure? Has a centuries-old mystery been solved? Has a scientist, derided by some, been proven right?
Jack Josephson, one of our two resident experts, thinks that just might be the case. Steve Harvey, the other, was working deep in Brazil and couldn’t be reached for comment.
Mr. Josephson spoke to the Reporter about a mysterious space in the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings near Thebes. A “tomb” in the Valley of the Kings means a space reached by extremely steep stairs, up to 30 feet beneath Egypt’s surface, with dense walls of solid rock, complete with sarcophagus and extensive decoration. In other words, this is no place for the claustrophobic.
In the cramped space of Tut’s tomb, the answer to an age-old question may finally be answered —Where is Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, the legendary beauty who reigned as a “king,” (feminists, take note), actually buried?
Although an enormously powerful figure, the wife of the Pharaoh Akhenaten, her burial place has never been discovered. Three thousand years ago, she disappeared without a trace, along with her personal gold reserves and her jewelry. Now it turns out, she just might – and that’s might – be found in a hidden room, not yet opened, behind a far wall in the tomb of Tut. At least that’s the view of the British archeologist, Nicholas Reeves.
Several things make Mr. Reeves, based in England but frequently in Egypt, believe Neferti’s final resting place is about to be discovered. The size of Tut’s tomb, discovered in 1922, has always puzzled scholars because of its size. It’s small, in fact much smaller than the tombs of other kings. In addition, when high-resolution scans were made of the tomb and a facsimile created, Mr. Reeves noticed what he thought was a significant anomaly.
On close examination of the far wall of Tut’s tomb, covered with an elaborate painting, Mr. Reeves thought there were two odd-looking spaces. They appeared they might be the “ghosts” of doorways, painted over, and the more he looked, the more he felt sure they were. And if they were, it would be a significant discovery, a gateway to a treasure of untold magnitude.
But the painting couldn’t be damaged in any way –it was far too valuable. And supposing there was nothing there? What to do? Our Island Egyptologist, Mr. Josephson laughed, “Science to the rescue!”
He described the first attempt to learn more about the space, using thermal imagery. The results were promising and Mr. Reeves moved to the next step— “ground penetrating radar,” or high frequency radio waves deployed and recorded as they bounced back.
The results showed space on the other side of the wall. Currently the data is being analyzed to determine exactly how large the space might be and there appears to be at least two areas and a possible third.
The next logical step is to drill the smallest possible hole below the bottom of the painting, two or three feet from the floor, and then insert a tiny camera. The equipment is ready but permission is slow in coming. In Manhattan this winter, at lunch with Mr. Josephson, the men pondered the reason for the delay, since the task as they saw it, was quite straightforward. They were at a loss, but thought possibly the Egyptian government was waiting for some propitious moment, so the coverage would be as wide as possible; but basically, they simply didn’t know.
Mr. Josephson has played a small but significant part in these events. He wrote to the Minister of Antiquities, Mamdouh El Damati, early on, on behalf of the project and he said that has helped. The minister was here on the Island collaborating with Mr. Josephson on another project in the summers of 1997 and 1998.
At this point, El Damati is cautious, Mr. Josephson said. One senses from his public statements that he doesn’t really believe Nefertiti is on the other side of the wall. He’s pointed out that Tut had many women in his life and it could easily be any one of them in the tomb.
But for scientists, there’s more than one kind of gold, Mr. Josephson said. Knowledge is equally important, he added, and what is found on the other side of that wall might illuminate aspects of ancient history, and would be no less cherished than coin.
Mr. Josephson recommends patience since the answers might not be immediate.
Although scholars are urging caution until more results have been obtained, there is general agreement that such a find would be “brilliant,” according to press articles and would galvanize the Egyptian tourist industry.
