The “geometric miracle” that could unlock a secret thousands of years old. It’s 1,800 metres long and may reveal one of Cleopatra’s greatest mysteries

A mysterious tunnel discovered beneath an Egyptian temple could lead to Cleopatra’s long-lost tomb.

The 1,800-metre passage – which is about six feet high and contains two stone heads – was discovered by a group of archaeologists who hailed it as a “geometric miracle”.

The discovery was part of the University of San Domingo’s Egyptian-Dominican archaeological mission, led by Dr. Kathleen Martinez.

The most important discovery of the 21st century

Last week, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the success of the mission, revealing that Martinez and his team had discovered the 1,800-metre-long tunnel.

It was found underground “during the mission’s archaeological excavations in the area of the Tapozeries Magna Temple, west of Alexandria.”

For years, Martinez believed that Egypt’s last pharaoh, Cleopatra, may have been buried in the temple – along with her lover Mark Antony.

Speaking to Heritage Key, Martinez said, “This is the perfect place for Cleopatra’s tomb. If there’s a one percent chance that the last queen of Egypt is buried there, it’s my duty to look for her.”

“If we discover the tomb, it will be the most important discovery of the 21st century. If we don’t discover the tomb, we have made major discoveries here, inside the temple and outside the temple.”

Cleopatra VII was born in 70 or 69 BC and ruled Egypt as co-regent for nearly 30 years.

After her death, Egypt was annexed by Roman rulers, effectively ending the 3,000-year-old Ancient Egyptian Empire.

Pharaohs often built huge tombs for their burials, but given her status as a prisoner of Rome at the time of her death, it is likely that Cleopatra received a peaceful burial in an austere tomb.

Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt, is one of the most famous female rulers in history, but her resting place remains an unsolved mystery.

Some experts believe the beautiful seductress was buried in Alexandria, where she was born and ruled most of her life.

Others suggest she was buried at the ancient site of Taposiris Magna.

Located 50 kilometers from Alexandria, the town around the temple of the same name was an important port city during Cleopatra’s time.

Citing preliminary studies, the ministry said the tunnel is eerily similar to the Eubilinos tunnel in Greece – which served as an aqueduct – but the Egyptian one is longer.

The ministry described the discovery as a “geometrical miracle”.

Inside the tunnel, archaeologists found two heads “composed of lustration” that stood about 2.5 metres high each.

“One of them belongs to a person from the heroic era, and the other is probably a statue of the Father of Confession,” the ministry said.

Martinez said they also found coins and the remains of statues of Egyptian deities in the tunnel.

The tunnel sunk in the Mediterranean

During excavations and research, archaeologists discovered that part of the tunnel was “sunk under the Mediterranean Sea”, according to the ministry.

There, they found pottery and a “rectangular block of limestone” beneath the mud sediment.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed that the discovery that part of the tunnel is underwater confirmed archaeologists’ suspicions that part of the temple’s foundation is also submerged.

Archaeologists’ work at the temple proved difficult, as at least 23 earthquakes struck the region between 320 AD and 1303 AD – resulting in the collapse of part of the temple.

However, previously, the team discovered important artifacts inside the temple, including coins containing the names and images of Cleopatra VII and Alexander the Great.

They also found several decapitated statues and statues of the goddess Isis.

In addition, archaeologists discovered a network of tunnels from King Marut’s Lake of Alexandria to the Mediterranean Sea.

Excavation and research of the temple is still ongoing, according to LiveScience.com.