A non-invasive radar scan of an area adjacent to King Tutankhamun's 3,300-year-old tomb in the Valley of the Kings was given preliminary approval by the Egyptian Cultural Ministry.

New research by Dr. Nicholas Reeves of the University of Arizona claims that Nefertiti, who is thought to be the mother of King Tut, could have been buried at the site in Luxor where Tut's treasure-laden grave was found by British archaelogist Howard Carter in 1922.

Reeves believes Tut, who died at age 19 about ten years after Nefertiti, was placed in an outer chamber of his mother's tomb.

In a new paper, Reeves points to evidence of two portals that seem to be blocked up, suggesting doors to other chambers that remain undiscovered. He also has found design elements in Tut's tomb that suggest it was built for the queen.

On Saturday, Reeves will travel to Cairo to meet officials before moving on to Luxor to inspect the tomb.