Written by Saanvita Challari
Edited by Anahitha Raffe Sofia
Ancient civilizations hold so much knowledge that has yet to be discovered. They say that the past is often needed to shape the future. But there is still much to be uncovered. One of the biggest mysteries of the past is the absence of Cleopatra's tomb. But we might be getting closer to uncovering that mystery.
Who is Cleopatra?
Her rise
Cleopatra was known as the ruler of Egypt from 51 - 30 BC. Her reign was the last time there was an active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom because the Roman Empire acquired Egypt as a province. Following the death of Ptolemy XII Auletes, her father, Cleopatra and her brother jointly ruled Egypt until a civil war put Cleopatra as the sole ruler. During this civil war, she had allied with Julius Caesar to aid her quest for the throne. Cleopatra and her son Caesarion were the last Egyptian pharaoh. Following the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, Cleopatra was determined to keep her sole rule over Egypt; she traveled to modern-day Turkey in 41 BC to meet Mark Antony. A love affair rose quickly, leading to a powerful ruling of Egypt from Cleopatra once again.
Her fall
Cleopatra’s relationship with Antony was assumed to be the cause of her downfall. Soon after Antony moved to Egypt, the Roman ruler declared war with Egypt leading to a battle that ended around 30 BC. Antony’s troops weren’t sufficient for Cleopatra to win the war, leading to the death of Cleopatra and Antony as well as the fall of her dynasty. Cleopatra took her own life with poison after locking herself in her tomb. The Egyptian queen’s tomb remains a mystery for several archaeologists around the world.
What happened to her tomb?
Dr. Kathleen Martinez
Dr. Kathleen Martinez has been “A Dominican archaeologist in search of Cleopatra'' ( Instagram Bio ) since 2005. According to previous Egyptologists and history, all 14 Ptolemy Pharaohs have been missing, including Cleopatra. According to her research and theories, Dr.Martinez believed that the Taposiris Magna Temple next to the city of Alexandria, which is now underwater, could hold clues. A crucial artifact called the “foundation tablet” is something Dr.Martinez needs to confirm her theories and find information about the temple.
Foundational Tablet
The tablet has been searched for since 1801 at Napoleon's request. It was found while excavating the temple by Dr.Martinez and her team. This tablet is made up of clay and glass and is extremely fragile. The plate reads, “The king of high and low Egypt Ptolemy V lives forever beloved by Isis. Son of Ptolemy IV king of high and low Egypt and his wife Arsenoe III both benevolent gods consecrated this temple to the mother Isis”. This specific tablet was concrete proof that the Taposiris Magna Temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis. Cleopatra was believed to be the reincarnation of Isis, therefore the temple and Cleopatra were visibly connected.
Taposiris Magna Temple
While exploring the temple, Martinez and her team also found a second temple led by the Processional Avenue into the sea and submerged underwater. Dr. Kathleen Martinez’s discovery opened up a new goal to explore the sunken temple in Egypt. Using cartographers' aid, Martinez and her team found a peninsula located 45 km from the temple that could have been the submerged temple. However, Dr.Martinez and her team do not have enough knowledge of subaquatic archaeology, so she had to contact Robert Ballard (the man who discovered the Titanic and is known to be the most experienced subaquatic archaeologist to exist) to assist in her quest. They had found unique and abnormal structures underwater that relate to the temple on land, confirming that there was indeed a continuation of the Processional Avenue in the peninsula. They found several points of interest in the ocean that the Egyptian marines would soon dive for.
A tomb that was known to be seemingly impossible to find might now be found by Dr. Kathleen Martinez. Every year, she comes closer and closer to finding answers to this unsolved puzzle.
References
Blakemore, E., & GARRETT, K. (2023, April 28). Who was Cleopatra? National Geographic. Retrieved March 31, 2024, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/cleopatra-egypt-pharaoh-life-history
Cleopatra. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 31, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra
Nair, J. (2024, March 6). Archaeologist who's spent 20 years looking for Cleopatra's lost tomb has given a rare update. LADbible. Retrieved March 31, 2024, from https://www.ladbible.com/news/world-news/archaeologist-kathleen-martinez-cleopatra-lost-tomb-update-877809-20240306
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