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Tunnel under Egypt could lead to Cleopatra's tomb

Tunnels - Level 4

Egypt is a land of mystery and wonder, full of ancient marvels. Archaeologists at a site near the city of Alexandria have made a huge discovery. They found a 1,305-metre tunnel. Architectural experts have called it an "engineering miracle". One of the archaeologists, Kathleen Martinez, believes the tunnel could lead to the lost tomb of Queen Cleopatra, who ruled Egypt over 1,000 years ago. Martinez has spent most of her life looking for the tomb.

Ms Martinez was happy at finding the tunnel. She also found a religious centre with three sanctuaries, a sacred lake, statues, gold, and a collection of coins with Cleopatra's face. Martinez's quest to find Cleopatra's tomb began in 2005. She said she admired Cleopatra as a historical character. She spoke of the importance of her team's work. If the tunnel leads to Cleopatra's tomb, it could be the most important discovery of the century.

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Tunnels - Level 5

Egypt is a land of mystery and wonder. Archaeologists hope to unearth the ancient marvels there. Archaeologists at an excavation near the city of Alexandria have made a huge discovery. Archaeologist Kathleen Martinez has dedicated most of her life to searching for the long-lost tomb of Queen Cleopatra. The queen ruled Egypt more than 1,000 years ago. Martinez and her team stumbled upon an amazing find. They uncovered a 1,305-metre tunnel, 13 metres underground. Architectural experts have called it an "engineering miracle".

Ms Martinez was elated at finding the tunnel and its contents. She said the site had a religious centre with three sanctuaries, a sacred lake, statues, gold, and a huge collection of coins portraying…Queen Cleopatra. Martinez's quest to find Queen Cleopatra's tomb began in 2005. She said her perseverance was not an obsession. She said: "I simply admire Cleopatra as a historical character." Martinez spoke of the importance of her team's work. She said that if the tunnel leads to Cleopatra's tomb, "it will be the most important discovery of the century".

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Tunnels - Level 6

Egypt is a land of eternal mystery and wonder. It is a paradise for archaeologists hoping to unearth the latest ancient marvel. Archaeologists at an extensive excavation near the northern Egyptian city of Alexandria have just made such a discovery. Kathleen Martinez, an archaeologist at the University of Santo Domingo, has dedicated most of her life to searching for the long-lost tomb of Queen Cleopatra. The queen ruled over Egypt more than 1,000 years ago. Earlier this week, Martinez and her team stumbled upon an amazing find. They uncovered a 1,305-metre tunnel, located 13 metres underground. Architectural design experts have called it an "engineering miracle".

Ms Martinez was elated at the find. She told the CNN news agency about what she found, besides the tunnel. She said: "The excavation revealed a huge religious centre with three sanctuaries, a sacred lake, more than 1,500 objects, statues, golden pieces, and a huge collection of coins portraying Alexander the Great and Queen Cleopatra." Martinez's quest to find Queen Cleopatra's tomb began in 2005. She said: "My perseverance should not be confused with obsession. I simply admire Cleopatra as a historical character." Martinez spoke of the potential importance of her team's work. She said that if the tunnel leads to Cleopatra's tomb, "it will be the most important discovery of the century".

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson