DNA Testing Leads To Most Important Discovery Since Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun is the most publicised discovery in ancient Egypt but DNA testing confirmed that remains recently discovered belong to Queen Hatshepsut, the most powerful female in ancient Egypt.

Tutankhamun tends to dominate the news reports regarding mummified remains in Egypt but a discovery of a mummy by archaeologist Zahi Hawass was found via a process of DNA testing to be the 3,500 year old remains of Queen Hatshepsut, who was the only female Pharaoh from Egypt’s Golden Age. An important discovery indeed and one that wouldn’t have been possible without the process of DNA testing.

DNA Testing – Unlocking The Secrets Of A Pharaoh

The discovery of DNA testing was an evolutionary step in archaeology terms as it allowed for an unprecedented level of accuracy in terms of ageing fossils and discovery identities. The discovery of Queen Hatshepsut was greeted with scepticism at first but the archaeologist who discovered her, Dr Hawass, was able to use DNA testing to prove her identity. A raft of evidence was provided to confirm that the identity of the mummified remains belonged to Hatshepsut. The most notable of which was the finding of a broken tooth inscribed with the Pharaoh’s royal seal and the embalmed stomach and liver of the Egyptian Queen which could be subjected to DNA testing.

DNA Testing – The Importance of Accuracy

DNA testing has become so integral to the many archaeological discoveries that are made in Egypt that a DNA testing facility has been set up in the Cairo Museum. It was here that DNA testing was carried out on the mummified remains of Queen Hatshepsut. Samples were taken from the mummy’s pelvis and hip and compared with the DNA from other mummies in her family. The results show a close affiliation with the DNA of Queen Hatshepsut’s grandmother, Ahmose Nefertar. This clearly shows the merits of DNA testing in unlocking the secrets of our past both in Egypt and throughout the world.

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