King Tut's tomb: scans find hidden rooms with metal, organic objects

Back in October, evidence was found suggesting King Tut's tomb could have a secret room or two, and that the secret room may prove to be the long-sought tomb of Queen Nefertiti. Some experts dismissed the idea at the time, pointing out apparent flaws with the notion. Nevertheless, radar scans were performed and Egyptian antiquities minister Mamdouh Eldamaty has good news to report: there are hidden chambers in the tomb, and there are unidentified objects hidden within them. The objects are made of both organic materials and metals.

The end of this month will bring another radar test, which seeks to learn more about what lies behind the north and west walls of the chamber. At this point, no one is sure what the objects within contain, but hopefully answers aren't too far away. The tomb was first discovered in 1922, and contained thousands of artifacts in good condition — if the hidden chambers follow suit, they could prove to be another trove of historical artifacts.

For many decades, researchers have thought that was the end of things — that Carter's excavation had revealed all the tomb had to show. It was in the summer of 2015 that things change — British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves published a study in which he suggested the king's tomb could have another tomb nestled secretly within it.

Such an estimation was made based on high-res scans of the tomb that revealed what appear to be doors and other passageways covered over with paint and plaster. Though many scoffed at the idea, some began looking into the matter further, and found evidence that such a tomb may actually be present.

That has led to the most recent radar scans, which took place in November. An expert studied the scans and has submitted his final report on them, saying he sees evidence of metal and organic objects behind the north wall, and only organic materials behind the west wall. Though he cannot tell what they are, the news is positively exciting, and has stoked hopes that researchers may soon discover the remains of Queen Nefertiti, whose burial location has long been sought.

The upcoming radar scans will look into the wall thickness, information that is necessary before deciding how to proceed. No one has stated at this time what the next step may be, though no doubt an exploration into the tomb will take place if further evidence proves solid.

VIA: National Geographic