In what is the most important find in Egypt s Valley of the Kings since the discovery of King Tutankhamun, Discovery Channel s “Secrets of Egypt’s Lost Queen exclusively reveals archeological, forensic and scientific evidence identifying a 3,500-year-old mummy as Hatshepsut, the queen who would be king of Egypt.
The film – premiering on Sunday, Oct. 7 at midnight – follows a team of top forensic experts and archeologists, led by Zahi Hawass, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, as they use the full range of forensic technology to identify Hatshepsut.
The investigative journey of Hawass and his team leads them through the massive crypts beneath Egypt and into the depths of the Cairo Museum. Using knowledge of royal Egyptian mummification and clues from two known tombs linked to Hatshepsut, the team narrows their search for Hatshepsut to just four mummies from thousands of unidentified corpses.
Computed tomography scanning allows the scientists to link distinct physical traits of the four mummies to those of Hatshepsut s known relatives. The search further narrows to two possibilities – both from the tomb of Hatshepsut s wet nurse – but the final clue lies within a canopic box inscribed with the female pharaoh s name. A scan of the box finds a tooth that, when measured, perfectly matches a missing upper molar in one of the two mummies.
“The discovery of the Hatshepsut mummy is one of the most important finds in the history of Egypt, said Hawass. “Her reign during the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt was a prosperous one, yet mysteriously she was erased from Egyptian history. Our hope is that this mummy will help shed light on this mystery and on the mysterious nature of her death.
Jane Root, president and general manager of Discovery Channel and The Science Channel, said, “‘Secrets of Egypt’s Lost Queen’ brings archeology alive for viewers. Only Discovery Channel can provide a context for and continually immerse viewers in these important moments of scientific discovery. We are proud to be part of this significant find, and commend Hawass and his team for their hard work and dedication.
Applied Biosystems, the leading global provider of DNA analysis technologies, and Discovery Quest, Discovery Channel s initiative to support the scientific community s work, enabled the construction of and equipment for the first-ever ancient DNA testing facility located in the Cairo Museum in Egypt.
The DNA testing facility will be used to extract and compare nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of the Hatshepsut mummy and mummies from her family. It will also be used by scientists to examine future finds in Egypt and attempt to clarify familial relationships amongst the royal families. The Discovery Quest fund reaffirms Discovery Channel s commitment to support groundbreaking research and inventions that change our world.
Equipment from Siemens Medical Solutions allowed scientists to conduct detailed computed tomography scanning of each of the mummies. By using their technology in a project like “Secrets of Egypt’s Lost Queen, archeologists were able to go beneath the wrappings and fragile bodies of some of Egypt s greatest pharaoh s without damaging them.
More powerful than Cleopatra or Nefertiti, Hatshepsut stole the throne from her young stepson, dressed herself as a man and in an unprecedented move declared herself pharaoh. Though her power stretched across Egypt and her reign was prosperous, Hatshepsut s legacy was systematically erased from Egyptian history – historical records were destroyed, monuments torn down and her corpse removed from her tomb – and her death is shrouded in mystery.
