Nefertiti's tomb found?

His tomb has been called cursed, and the ancient mysteries surrounding the famous boy king Tutankhamun and his death continue to bewitch both scholars and speculators.

Now sensational new claims have added further intrigue, speculating that the long-lost grave of Queen Nefertiti is in fact right next door to that of Tutankhamun.

Nicholas Reeves, a British archaeologist from the University of Arizona in the US, has published what he says is evidence that "ghost doors" from Tutankhamun's tomb lead to a more substantial burial chamber, the resting place of the Queen known as the "Lady of Two Lands" and notorious for her bewitching beauty.

Reeves says his theory is founded on detailed scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's tomb.

If found to be correct, the discovery may finally settle the controversial belief that Nefertiti is in fact the mother of Tutankhamun, who is believed to have ruled Egypt from 1332-1323 BC before dying in unknown circumstances.

Some experts have argued that the son of King Akhenaten was mothered by a woman known as the "Younger Lady," a mummy uncovered from the Valley of the Kings in 1898 - identified through DNA testing. There has also been speculation that this mother was Queen Nefertiti herself.

Potentially the 'biggest discovery ever'

Writing in his paper "Amarna Royal Tombs Project," Reeves claims that adjoined to the north of Tutankhamun's tomb is "the undisturbed burial of the tomb's original owner - Nefertiti."

The archaeologist went on to tell "The Economist:" "If I'm wrong I'm wrong, but if I'm right this is potentially the biggest archaeological discovery ever made."

Along with Cleopatra, Nefertiti remains one of the most notorious and revered female figures in ancient Egypt. Her striking 3,300 year old limestone bust (pictured) was discovered at a massive dig in Armana, Egypt in 1912 by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt.

The Nefertiti is on display at Berlin's Neues Museum and remains one of the city's most popular attractions.

jgt/kbm (with dpa)