Is the Search for Nefertiti Nearly Over?

The Egyptian queen Nefertiti has long been held in high regard by historians, Egyptologists, and archaeologists alike. Legendary her for her beauty, Nefertiti was the wife of the Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled the country from 17 years. During their reign, Egypt shifted from a pantheon of gods, to the worship of a single god, bringing monotheism to the Egyptian people for the first time.

Nefertiti reigned alongside her husband and she had unprecedented power as compared to most women. Ancient Egypt was a patriarchal society, and while women were generally held in high regard, the seldom were allowed to rule the country. But Nefertiti was an exception to that rule, and as queen she curried great favor with the king and his court.

But what exactly happened to this powerful woman remains a mystery. Whether she died before her husband or out lived him seems to be a matter of debate, but there did seem to be a concerted attempt to erase her from Egyptian history at one point, which makes it difficult to surmise what became of her. For centuries historians and archaeologists have tried to discover Nefertiti's fate, and while there are plenty of theories, there has been little hard evidence to go on. Her tomb has never been found, and there seems to be little trace of her final resting place – something that is quite odd for a person of her stature.

That might be changing however, as a new theory put fourth by a British archaeologist working at the University of Arizona may finally uncover her tomb at long last. Nicholas Reeves says that by studying digital scans of the tomb of King Tut, he may have found two previously undiscovered "ghost doors" which may lead to another burial chamber beyond.


Tut would have been the next king to succeed Akhenaten, and since he only lived to be about 17 years old, his burial chamber wasn't quite prepared yet at the time of his death. Reeves believes that Tut was placed in a tomb that was originally built for a queen, and that it was hastily walled up to make room for the boy-king instead.

Reeves points to a number of clues to back up his hypothesis. For starters, Tut's tomb was far smaller than was appropriate for a pharaoh, and some of the items found resting with him came from an older era. Both are indications that the tomb may have been previously used for someone else. The design and size of the tomb indicate that it was perhaps meant for a queen of the 18th Dynasty, of which Nefertiti was the last great one.

Reeves' theory has garnered a great deal of buzz within the archaeology community. His logic is sound, and there are indications of possible hidden chambers off of Tut's tomb. But it will take some time to confirm whether or not they do exist. Researchers will likely take ground penetrating radar into the tomb to see if there are indeed chambers on the other side of the walls. If they are found, it will take even longer to excavate them, as the process will likely be painstakingly slow so as to not damage the chamber. So,while the final resting place of Nefertiti may be close at hand, it could be years before we know if Reeve is correct. Still, it is an interesting theory to say the least, and it could give us more insight into what became of the legendary queen who remains an enduring enigma even into the 21st century.

Archaeologists Discover 3 Million Year Old Tools that Pre-Date Man

I love stories that show us that we don't know as much about our planet as we think we do. Earlier this week it was revealed that archaeologists have discovered ancient tools in Kenya that date back more than 3.3 million years. That's amazing of course, but what is even more mind blowing is the fact that these artifacts actually pre-date man, indicating that another species once inhabited the Earth that possessed the knowledge and ability to create and use tools too.

This discovery turns some preconceived notions about early man on its ear. While we have seen apes and monkeys use tools to solve problems and acquire food, it has been widely assumed that one of the things that separated humans – those species designated as Homo Sapiens and Homo Erectus for instance – is our ability to make and use crude tools to our advantage. These latest findings date back to a time before and of those early humans walked the Earth, making us expand our thoughts on what other species were capable of, and change some theories as to why Homo Sapiens grew to be the dominant species on the planet.

Until now, the oldest stone tools found have dated back about 2.6 million years. Those artifacts were also found in Kenya, and included axes made out of volcanic stone that were used for hunting. But this new find predates those instruments by as much as 700,000 years.

Just who made these tools remains a bit of a mystery. There are some researchers who believe that they were made by an as-yet unknown species that we haven't discovered yet. Others are attributing them to a species early man known as Kenyanthropus. Back in 1999, a skull belonging to this species was discovered not far from the site where these tools were uncovered. It too dated back 3.3 million years.

The Live Science article that I linked to above has more information about how these tools were discovered, and what the region of Kenya was like back when those who made them still lived there. The instruments were found in the badlands located in the northeast section of the country, which is now very dry and arid. That helps to preserve the artifacts found there. But when those tools were being used, it was a forested area with plenty of shrub plants, making it a good place for animals to live and graze too.

This is fascinating stuff, and I love that we're still continuing to uncover these discoveries.

Video: Defined by the Line - Fighting to Protect the Bears Ears in Utah

This short film is brought to us by the fine folks at Patagonia and the Bears Ears Coalition, a group that was formed to protect a region in the state of Utah that holds particular cultural and historical significance. The site, which features breathtaking landscapes, is also home to Native American dwellings and artwork that date back as much as 12,000 years. The video below gives us a glimpse of that place, and the efforts of climber Josh Ewing to try to save it from careless visitors and oil drilling on nearby lands. The 7+ minute documentary is filled with gorgeous landscapes and amazing archeological sites that have to be seen to be believed. The video is worth watching for the eye-candy alone, but the message it conveys is an important one too.

Defined by the Line: A Film About the Fight to Protect Bears Ears from Patagonia on Vimeo.

Lost City Discovered in Honduras

A team of researchers and archaeologists emerged from the rainforests of Honduras last week bearing amazing news. The group has discovered an ancient lost city that belonged to a civilization that thrived a thousand years ago, then suddenly vanished altogether. The city is believed to be the legendary "White City" or the "City of the Monkey God," which is only referred to in old tales. In fact the civilization lived in parallel with the Maya for a time, but so little is known about them that the people don't even have an official name.

Apparently the city was completely abandoned by the people that inhabited it centuries ago. As a result, archaeologists now get a peek at what day-to-day life was like there. Although the structures are mostly covered in overgrowth and sediment, there were reportedly as many as 52 artifacts that were visible upon first survey. Those included statues, monuments, ceremonial seats, and other finely crated items.

The exact location of the site has not been revealed so as to protect it from looters, but we do know that it is in a remote area of the rainforest in a valley known as La Mosquitia. The region is dominated by swamps, rivers, and mountains, making it very difficult to pass through. The explorers who discovered it documented their findings, but mostly left it undisturbed until they can return with a proper team to begin further excavation.


The White City or Ciudad Blanca has been the stuff of legends for centuries. The indigenous people who live in the area have told tales of large white structures that stuck out of the rainforest for ages. It was believed that the city served as a place of refuge from invading Spanish conquistadors, and some of say that there is a large monkey statue hidden somewhere inside the city. A number of explorers have gone in search of the place in the past, including American explorer Theodore Morde, who claimed to have discovered the city back in 1940, although he committed suicide before he could confirm the location.

The outline of the city was first discovered back in 2012 by an arial laser-mapping system. The site was believed to be over a mile in length, and contained elements consistent with manmade structures hidden under the jungle. It has taken until now for a team to actually go and visit the place however and confirm the existence of the lost city.

There is no word yet on when another team of archaeologists will return to the White City, but with this amazing discovery, you can bet it won't be too long before actual excavation operations will begin.