Lost legs of the 3,000-year-old Egyptian queen

Experts identify mummy feet found at the lavish tomb in the Valley of the Queen, Egypt by Queen Nefertari, who died around 1,250 BC.

Picture 1 of Lost legs of the 3,000-year-old Egyptian queen
The mummy's feet were identified as Nefertari's Egyptian Queen.(Photo: Joann Fletcher).

The scientists concluded that mummy feet were found in the tomb of the Queen's Valley , Egypt, by Queen Nefertari , Guardian on 2 December. Queen Nefertari is the wife of pharaoh Ramses II and is very famous for her beauty.

" Her main task is to appear next to the pharaoh Ramses in public events. However, I think the queen has the quiet power behind the throne ," Joann Fletcher, from York University, England. , co-author of the study, said.

Queen Nefertari died around 1,250 BC. Her tomb was discovered in 1904 with many beautiful paintings hanging on the wall. However, scientists could not determine whether the mummy's leg was found to be the queen's.

"The Queen's Valley, the King's Valley and other noble tombs in the area have experienced a long history. Many graves and burial sites are reused later. Floods can also be swept through. This brings many objects into the grave, so the objects found here do not necessarily belong to the owner described on the wall, "explained Fletcher.

To solve this question, Fletcher and the international team conducted many experiments on the remains that are being kept at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy, including methods of determining age by radioactive carbon, X-rays of the legs, comparing knee books with ancient, modern specimens and examining chemical composition in embalming substances.

" Experts have studied how to care, wrap and materials used for the mummy leg. These factors indicate that it belongs to a woman of about 40-50 years of age, with a high social status. " Fletcher said.

Along with the analysis of the chemical composition of the embalming substances and many objects found in the grave, the researchers identified the legs as Queen Nefertari.