Vol. 220. No.1. July 2011
The Search for Cleopatra
Author: Chip Brown
Where is Cleopatra's tomb? Many archaeologists have been trying to find it or hopefully mummified Cleopatra herself for years, but no one has succeeded it. However, The Search for Cleopatra by Brown brings a new hope about the burial place. A young, intelligent woman, Kathleen Martinez, developed an extraordinary theory in 2004 that Cleopatra's tomb might be buried in a tumbledown temple in Taposiris Magna, which is very far from the ancient capital Alexandria. She believes that Cleopatra was wise enough to make sure her body and her loved Antony would be buried in a place where no one could disturb their eternal love. She assumes that the place might be the temple in Taposiris Magna and not in Alexandria where many archaeologists have believed that the burial place might be. After years of attempts, she convinced finally Zahi Hawass, who is secretary-general of Supreme Council of Antiquities, to explore the temple. It has been years since the excavation begun in 2006, but Cleopatra's tomb has not been found. However, new discoveries of many objects and a large cemetery outside the temple walls further convinced Martinez that someday she would find Cleopatra's tomb there.
This article was interesting by showing brief backgrounds of Cleopatra and excavation history of finding her tomb that made readers with little knowledge about this history interested. As a person who does not know much about this history, I was able to easily understand how it is difficult to find the tomb partially because a part of old Alexandria sank under the ocean where some archaeologists believe the tomb might be there, and how it is exceptional that Martinez's idea about the burial place is. Personally, I hope that Martinez's theory is right and she will discover Cleopatra's tomb someday, because as a woman, I would rather be buried in a calm place with my loved one than politically, socially chaotic palace if I were Cleopatra. Even though she lived more than two thousand years ago, the way women think would not change so easily.
The following is the edited article:
Vol. 220. No.1. July 2011
The Search for Cleopatra
Author: Chip Brown
Where is Cleopatra's tomb? Many archaeologists have been trying to find it or hopefully mummified Cleopatra herself for years, but no one has succeeded it. However, The Search for Cleopatra by Brown brings a new hope regarding the (location of) burial place. A young, intelligent woman, Kathleen Martinez, developed an extraordinary theory in 2004 that Cleopatra's tomb might be buried in a tumbledown temple in Taposiris Magna, which is very far from the ancient capital Alexandria. She believes that Cleopatra was wise enough to make sure her body and her loved Antony would be buried in a place where no one could disturb their eternal love. She assumes that the place might be the temple in Taposiris Magna and not in Alexandria where many archaeologists have believed that the burial place might be. After years of attempts, she finally convinced Zahi Hawass, who is secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, to explore the temple. It has been years since the excavation began in 2006, but Cleopatra's tomb has not been found. However, new discoveries of many objects and a large cemetery outside the temple walls further convinced Martinez that someday she would find Cleopatra's tomb there.
This fascinating article provides a brief backgrounds of Cleopatra and the excavation history of finding her tomb. Even readers with little/relevant knowledge would find this article to be interesting/ to be of interest. As a person who does not know much about this history, I was able to easily understand how it is difficult to find the tomb. Part of the old Alexandria sank under the ocean where some archaeologists believe the tomb to be, however, I find Martinez's idea about the burial place to be exceptional. Personally, I hope that Martinez's theory is right and that she will discover Cleopatra's tomb someday. I would rather be buried in a calm place with my loved one than a politically and socially chaotic palace if I were Cleopatra. Even though she lived more than two thousand years ago, I believe that the women think would not change so easily over time.
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