June 27, 2007

A Queen's Homecoming

Archaeologists identify the mummy of a lost Egyptian queen

By Melissa Kong

Egyptian archaeologists announced on Wednesday that they have identified a mummy discovered in 1903 as that of Queen Hatshepsut (hat-shep-soot), Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh. The mummy was originally found in the Valley of the Kings, a sacred burial site for kings and powerful nobles located on the west bank of the Nile River in Egypt. Although the mummy was discovered more than a century ago, it remained in a tomb until this past spring, when it was brought to the Cairo Museum for testing.

AMR NABIL—AP PHOTO The mummy of Queen Hatshepsut on display at a museum in Cairo, Egypt

Royal Clues to a Mystery

Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass led the search for Queen Hatshepsut. A few clues helped Hawass and his team identify the mummy: She was found with her left hand positioned against her chest. This is a traditional sign of royalty in ancient Egypt. The researchers became even more certain that this mummy was the queen when they made a match between the mummy's missing tooth and a tooth discovered in an ancient box inscribed with the female pharaoh's name. The tooth fits exactly into an empty space in the jaw. Hawass says that he is "one hundred percent certain" that the mummy is that of Hatshepsut. But not everyone is so sure. Some experts not involved in the discovery said they were waiting for additional scientific proof. If confirmed, the identification of the mummy as the missing queen would be a significant archeological discovery. "Hatshepsut is an individual who has a unique place in Egypt's history," says molecular biologist Paul Evans.

Hawass and his team are doing DNA testing that could clear up any doubt. They are comparing DNA taken from a mummy known to be Hatshepsut's grandmother with that of the mummy. The Discovery Channel gave Egypt $5 million to set up a lab to study the DNA of mummies. The channel plans to air a documentary about the find in July.

A Powerful Ruler's Legacy

Queen Hatshepsut was the only woman to rule ancient Egypt while the kingdom was at the height of its wealth and power, from about 1502 to 1482 B.C. Of all the female pharaohs--including Cleopatra and Nefertiti--Hatshepsut's reign was the longest and most successful. While in power, she established trade routes and built hundreds of monuments and temples throughout Egypt. Despite her prosperous reign, both her mummy and her legacy were virtually erased from Egyptian history. Many historians believe that Tuthmose III, Hatshepsut's stepson, destroyed records and monuments bearing her name. It may have been his revenge. It is believed that she stole the throne from him. Finding the mummy of this powerful queen may provide details about an important part of Egyptian history.

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