Archaeologists discovered a tunnel beneath the ancient city of Taposiris Magna in Egypt that may lead to the long-lost tomb of Cleopatra VII. The subterranean passage, stretching over 1,305 meters through sandstone and standing about two meters tall, was found approximately 13 meters below the ground. Portions of the tunnel are submerged in water.
The tunnel was discovered beneath a temple believed to be dedicated to the god Osiris and his queen, the goddess Isis. The scale and design of the structure astonished the archaeological community. Its construction has drawn comparisons to the Tunnel of Eupalinos, a sixth-century BCE aqueduct on the Greek island of Samos, renowned for its geometric precision and regarded as a marvel of ancient engineering.
Kathleen Martinez, a specialist in Taposiris Magna from the University of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, began working on the temple in 2004. She believes that the tunnel is a promising lead to the lost tomb of Cleopatra VII.
Artifacts recovered at Taposiris Magna bolster the theory that Cleopatra's tomb might lie hidden beneath its ruins. Items such as coins depicting Cleopatra VII and figures of Alexander the Great were uncovered. Additionally, figurines of the goddess Isis were found on-site. The temple's dedication to Osiris and Isis adds weight to Martinez's hypothesis, given Cleopatra's identification with the goddess.
Established between 280 and 270 BCE by Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus—an ancestor of Cleopatra VII—Taposiris Magna lies about 25 miles west of Alexandria.
Past excavations revealed a number of tunnels extending from Lake Mariout to the Mediterranean Sea. Future investigations, including underwater explorations, are planned to determine if the newly discovered tunnel leads to Cleopatra VII's lost tomb or other findings. Archaeologists suspect that earthquakes between 320 and 1303 CE may have caused parts of the temple to collapse into the Mediterranean Sea.
The prospect of locating Cleopatra's tomb has long fascinated historians and the public alike. In 2009, the Egyptian Minister for Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, stated that discovering the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony would be "the most important discovery of the 21st century."
