Famed Egyptian archaeologist and former Minister of Antiquities Dr Zahi Hawass has said he is “close” to discovering the long-lost tomb of Queen Nefertiti, one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful and enigmatic royal figures. Hawass made the claim while discussing ongoing excavations in the eastern Valley of the Kings, an area near the tomb of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, where his team is currently conducting intensive archaeological work.

According to Hawass, years of detailed mapping and recent excavations that have reached solid rock layers have helped narrow down the most likely location of the tomb. While he acknowledged that he does not yet have concrete evidence to confirm Nefertiti’s burial site, he said his intuition and experience suggest that the tomb could be nearby. Hawass described the potential find as the crowning achievement of his career.

In a recent documentary titled The Man with the Hat, Hawass said discovering Nefertiti’s tomb would represent one of the most important archaeological breakthroughs of the century. He added that such a discovery would allow historians to answer long-standing questions surrounding the queen’s life, status, and possible reign following the death of her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten.

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Alongside field excavations, Hawass and his team have also been conducting DNA analysis and CT scans on unidentified royal mummies. These scientific efforts aim to determine whether any of the remains could belong to Nefertiti, whose burial has remained a mystery despite her prominence during Egypt’s 18th Dynasty.

The historical importance of the discovery lies in its potential to resolve debates over whether Nefertiti ruled as a pharaoh under the name Neferneferuaten. Ancient reliefs depict her performing traditionally pharaonic acts, including striking enemies, suggesting she may have wielded sovereign power during a turbulent period of religious transformation in ancient Egypt.

However, not all experts share Hawass’s optimism. Previous theories, including claims that Nefertiti was hidden behind a wall in King Tutankhamun’s tomb, were dismissed after radar scans in 2018 found no hidden chambers. Despite the scepticism, Hawass remains confident that the search is nearing a decisive breakthrough.

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