King Tut's Mystery Tomb Opened is the second program following the astonishing discoveries being made by archaeologist Dr. Otto Schaden in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. This special follows the on-going action as the excavation of KV 63 reaches its climax.
For the first time ever, audiences descend down a narrow shaft beneath desert sands to enter a world untouched, and watch as Discovery Channel exclusively reveals the first tomb (KV 63) discovered in the Valley of the Kings in more than 80 years. KV 63 was first unearthed in February 2006, sending shock waves around the scientific and archaeological world.
Located nearly 50 feet from the tomb of King Tutankhamen (KV 62), the Discovery Channel Quest expedition team of world-renowned archaeologists excavate and explore this new tomb, uncovering delicate artifacts, sifting through intricate inscriptions and revealing unprecedented treasures.
The tomb shares more than common real estate with that of the famed Tutankhamen. A seal with a faint inscription carries the word "PA-ATEN," which an Egyptian expert believes is part of the former name given to Ankhesenamun, wife of Tutankhamen. Pieces of pottery found in the tomb have also been matched to pottery in Tutankhamen's tomb. The painted face masks on the coffins have also been dated to this period.
What does the tomb hold? What new mysteries will be unraveled? Only Discovery Channel provides exclusive first-time access to the excavation of an Egyptian tomb, step by step, from exploration to examination.Viewers will be able to participate as detectives themselves, witnessing each find as it is revealed, moment by moment, layer by layer.
The tomb has sat vacuum-packed for more than 3,000 years. Now open, it is a race against time as exposure to the elements threatens to endanger KV 63's treasure trove of antiquities. Added to this, are the threats of sandstorms, flooding and interested onlookers sneaking in for a peek. The tension is palpable, the stakes are high, and the discoveries are unforgettable.
Egypt's New Tomb Revealed is the first Discovery Channel Quest project of 2006. The Discovery Channel Quest Fund reaffirms Discovery Channel’s commitment to support groundbreaking research and inventions that change our world. As part of this network initiative to support the scientific community’s work, the Supreme Council of Antiquities has enabled Discovery to follow the University of Memphis team's excavation.
About Discovery Quest:
Since its inception in 2002, Discovery Quest has funded research in space, exploration, paleontology, geology and archaeology. These projects include the recovery of the Liberty Bell 7 space capsule that was lost at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in July 1961, the identification of two new dinosaur species and the study of the sunken remains of the German World War II battleship DKM Bismarck. More recently, Discovery Channel supported an expedition to collect data from the Indian Ocean seafloor to create models that can better predict the next tsunami.