Slide Show: The Hidden Face of Nefertiti

Using computed tomography, researchers uncover the original molds for the royal sculpture


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A new computed tomography (CT) scan of the famous Nefertiti bust reveals a hidden face beneath its painted stucco exterior. Researchers report in the journal Radiology today that the bust's inner limestone layer was carefully crafted to resemble the Egyptian queen circa 1330 B.C. They say the findings could help preservation efforts, because the x-rays reveal details such as weak spots in the bust, unearthed in Amarna, Egypt, in 1919 by German Egyptologist Ludwig Borchardt. 

Slide show: View CT scan images of Nefertiti