Following months of investigations, researchers studying King Tutankhamun's tomb believe there is a 90% chance it does contain at least one, if not two, hidden chambers.

Radar scans of the tomb in the ancient necropolis of Luxor have revealed two possible rooms, and they're likely to contain remains believed to belong to Queen Nerfertiti, Egypt's antiquities minister Mamdouh el-Damaty said.

If confirmed, Mr El-Damaty added 'it could be the discovery of the century' and that it's 'very important for Egyptian history and the history of the world'.

Radar scans of the tomb in Luxor have revealed two possible rooms according to Egypt's antiquities minister Mamdouh el-Damaty at a press conference in Egypt (pictured). Tutankhamun's chamber is shown top alongside the suspected location of the chambers right and bottom in blue

This image is a more detail shot of the presentation slide. The dark blue border shows the walls that were scanned. The area alongside the antechamber is believed to be empty, while Area 1 contains metal and organic material, and Area 2 contains just organic material. This organic material could be human remains

The announcement follows recent infrared thermography tests that revealed one area of the northern wall was a different temperature to others (marked). Pictured here is the interior of the tomb

Archaeologists scanned the tomb to find what some believe could be the resting place of Queen Nefertiti, the legendary wife of Tutankhamun's father whose mummy has never been found.

Mr El-Damaty believes the chambers contain the tomb of a member of Tutankhamun's family, but would not speculate on Nefertiti.

The announcement follows recent infrared thermography tests that revealed one area of the northern wall was a different temperature than others.

A team from Cairo University's Faculty of Engineering and a Paris-based organisation called the Heritage, Innovation and Preservation Institute used infrared thermography to measure the temperature of each of the walls of the tomb.

GHOST DOORS TO THE CHAMBER After analysing high-resolution scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's grave complex in the Valley of the Kings, Dr Nicholas Reeves spotted what appeared to be a secret entrance. They feature very straight lines that are 90 degrees to the ground, positioned so as to correspond with other features within the tomb. He uncovered the 'ghosts' of two portals that tomb builders blocked up, one of which is believed to be a storage room. The other, on the north side of Tutankhamun's tomb, contains 'the undisturbed burial of the tomb's original owner - Nefertiti', Dr Reeves argued. These features are difficult to capture with the naked eye, he said. Reeves said the plastered walls could conceal two unexplored doorways, one of which perhaps leads to Nefertiti's tomb. He also argues the design of the tomb suggests it was built for a queen, rather than a king. In particular, he believes these chambers are behind the northerns and western walls of tomb and that one contains the remains of queen Nefertiti, the chief wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten and mother to six of his children, who is Tutankhamun's mother. Advertisement

Preliminary analysis of the non-invasive search showed that one area of the northern wall was a different temperature than other areas, which is a potential sign of a hidden chamber.

The completion of the experiment comes and at the same time that researchers unveiled newly colourised photos of the discovery of the tomb.

The pictures were taken by British photographer Harry Burton during the excavation process and have been made from the original glass plate negatives.

Egypt's Antiquities minister Mamdouh Eldamaty said in a statement the experiment in which investigators looked for hidden tombs lasted 24 hours.

He continued that several more experiments will be carried out in hopes of more accurately determining the area showing a different temperature.

Scratching and markings on the northern and western walls are strikingly similar to those found by Howard Carter on the entrance of King Tut's tomb.

The search follows claims by British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves, of the University of Arizona, that high-resolution images of the tomb show 'distinct linear traces' on the walls, pointing to two unexplored chambers.

He said high-resolution images of what is known as King Tut's tomb 'revealed several very interesting features which look not at all natural.

They feature very straight lines that are 90 degrees to the ground, positioned so as to correspond with other features within the tomb.

These features are difficult to capture with the naked eye, he said.

Reeves said the plastered walls could conceal two unexplored doorways, one of which perhaps leads to Nefertiti's tomb.

This image shows detailed scan results from one of the suspected chambers. The scan used electromagnetic waves to inspect the chamber's so-called cavity pattern. The red arrows indicate the entrance to the cavity and the yellow and green sections are believed to be metal and organic material

Dr Nicholas Reeves recently claimed to have found evidence for the bricked up entrances. These include the burial chamber for Queen Nefertiti, who Dr Reeves claims was the boy-kings co-regent and may even have been his mother, and a new hidden storage room, as shown above

Tutankhamun's 3,000-year-old burial chamber was discovered in 1922, after a 15-year search which eventually uncovered 5,000 antiques - including the king's sarcophagus, his gold mask, and stillborn mummies. Dr Reeves claims the 'ghosts' of two portals that tomb builders blocked up are shown in yellow

He also argues that the design of the tomb suggests it was built for a queen, rather than a king.

Dr Nicholas Reeves, an English archaeologist at the University of Arizona, has now provided new evidence to support these claims in a report published by the Amarna Royal Tombs Project.

After analysing high-resolution scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's grave complex in the Valley of the Kings, Dr Reeves spotted what appeared to be a secret entrance.

He described how he uncovered the 'ghosts' of two portals that tomb builders blocked up, one of which is believed to be a storage room.

Archaeologists scanned the tomb to find what some believe could be the resting place of Queen Nefertiti, the legendary wife of Tutankhamun's father whose mummy has never been found

Dr Reeves claims he made the discovery after analysing high-resolution radar scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's tomb complex, which was uncovered in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings

In particular, he believes these chambers are behind the northerns and western walls of tomb and that one contains the remains of queen Nefertiti, the chief wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten and mother to six of his children, who is Tutankhamun's mother.

Famed for her exquisite beauty, the grave of Nefertiti or the 'Lady of the Two Lands' has been lost for centuries since her sudden death in 1340 BC.

Previous DNA analysis has suggested King Tutankhamun's mother may have been a mummy known as the Younger Lady, who is also thought to be his father's sister.

However, there are some Egyptologists who claim that it is actually Nefertiti, the chief wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten and mother to six of his children, who is Tutankhamun's mother.

WERE KING TUTANKHAMUN'S PARENTS ALSO COUSINS? The complex family arrangements of Tutankhamun has been one of the great mysteries surrounding the young king. While his father was known to have been Pharaoh Akhenaten, the identity of his mother has been far more elusive. DNA testing has shown that Queen Tiye, whose mummy is pictured above, was the grandmother of the Egyptian Boy King Tutankhamun In 2010 DNA testing confirmed a mummy found in the tomb of Amenhotep II was Queen Tiye, the chief wife of Amenhotep III, mother of Pharaoh Akhenanten, and Tutankhamun's grandmother. A third mummy, thought to be one of Pharaoh Akhenaten wives, was found to be a likely candidate as Tutankhamun's mother, but DNA evidence showed it was Akhenaten's sister. Later analysis in 2013 suggested Nefertiti, Akhenaten's chief wife, was Tutankhamun's mother. However, the work by Marc Gabolde, a French archaeologist, has suggested Nefertiti was also Akhenaten's cousin. This incestuous parentage may also help to explain some of the malformations that scientists have discovered afflicted Tutankhamun. He suffered a deformed foot, a slightly cleft palate and mild curvature of the spine. However, his claims have been disputed by other Egyptologists, including Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. His team's research suggests that Tut's mother was, like Akhenaten, the daughter of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye. Hawass added that there is 'no evidence' in archaeology or philology to indicate that Nefertiti was the daughter of Amenhotep III. Advertisement

The other, on the north side of Tutankhamun's tomb, contains 'the undisturbed burial of the tomb's original owner - Nefertiti', Dr Reeves argued.

If Dr Reeves is correct, the hidden tomb could be far more magnificent than anything found in Tutankhamun's burial chamber.

He believes it is her tomb due to its position positioned to the right of the entrance shaft, which is far more typical of Egyptian queens rather than kings.

The small size of Tutankhamun's burial chamber, given his standing in the Egyptian history, has baffled experts for years and Dr Reeves' theory could suggest that it was built as an addition to an existing tomb - his mother's.

Tutankhamun's burial chamber is the same size as an antechamber, rather than a tomb fit for an Egyptian King, for example.

The tomb of King Tut is displayed in a glass case at the Valley of the Kings in Luxo. British Egyptologist's theory that a queen may be buried in the walls of the 3,300 year-old pharaonic mausoleum has been bolstered following infrared and radar scans

Pictured is the the decorated north wall of Tutankhamen's burial chamber, behind which Dr Reeves believes is another, more lavish burial chamber belonging to Nefertiti

THE DISCOVERY OF THE TOMB Tutankhamun's 3,000-year-old burial chamber was discovered in 1922, after a 15-year search which eventually uncovered 5,000 antiques - including the king's sarcophagus, his gold mask, and stillborn mummies. The discovery caused a worldwide sensation. The rich furnishings and decorations have entranced the public while archaeologists have puzzled over the king's death. He was found buried with two stillborn children and his passing ended the Thutmosid family line. Tutankhamun's death led to war as he was succeeded by his adviser Ay, who married the boy king's widow. Under his rule Egypt was defeated in a war with the Hittites. Advertisement

Dr Reeve said the richness of the furnishings crammed into Tutankhamun's four small chambers as 'overwhelming'.

The majority of Egyptologists have taken this at face value, and said many of the objects there appear to have been taken from predecessor kings and adapted for the boy-king's use.

He proposes some of the material in the tomb suggest Nefertiti had been the boy's co-regent.

Combined with the scans of the north wall of the tomb, Dr Reeves believes the tomb belonged to Nefertiti and the pharaoh's room was simply an afterthought, describing it as a 'corridor-style tomb-within-a-tomb'.

The opening of what is believed to have been Nefertiti's tomb is decorated with religious scenes, perhaps in a ritual to provide protection to the chamber behind it, he said.

'Only one female royal of the late 18th Dynasty is known to have received such honours, and that is Nefertiti', Dr Reeves writes.

If Dr Reeves' theory is correct, it may resolve a number of oddities about Tutankhamun's burial chamber that have long baffled researchers.

In 2010 geneticists used DNA tests to examine the parentage of Tutankhamun and suggested it might be the mummy above, known as the Younger Lady, who was the boy-king's mother. Other experts have claimed, however, that Nefertiti was a cousin of King Tut's father and may have been the boy's mother

Egyptian labourers work at the entrance of the Valley of the Kings. If Dr Reeves is correct, the hidden tomb could be far more magnificent than anything found in Tutankhamun's burial chamber

For instance, the treasures found within seem to have been placed there in a rush, and are largely second-hand.

'The implications are extraordinary,' he wrote.

'If digital appearance translates into physical reality, it seems we are now faced not merely with the prospect of a new, Tutankhamun-era store room to the west [but] that of Nefertiti herself, celebrated consort, co-regent, and eventual successor of Pharaoh Akhenaten.'

Nefertiti, whose name means 'the beautiful one has come,' was the queen of Egypt and wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten during the 14th century B.C.

It is possible, however, that nothing at all will be found behind the walls of the tomb (wall pictured)

She and her husband established the cult of Aten, the sun god, and promoted artwork in Egypt that was strikingly different from its predecessors.

Her titles suggests she was co-regent and possibly a pharaoh after Akhenaten's death. But despite her remarkable status, her death and burial remains a mystery.

Another theory is that if a mummy is found, it could belong to Pharaoh Smenkhkare or Queen Meritation, the full or half sister of Tutankhamun, experts said.

It is possible, however, that nothing at all will be found behind the walls of the tomb.

Colourised images of the tomb were recently unveiled by Factum Arte, a group which recently created a life-sized copy of Tutankhamun's tomb, intended for tourists to visit.

The photos tell the story of English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter, who was asked in 1907 to supervise excavations in the Valley of the Kings.

By that point, Carter had been in in Egypt since 1891 and most of the ancient Egyptian tombs had been discovered.

But very little was known about King Tutankhamen, who died when he was 19.

Tutankhamen's tomb was first discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter. Archaeologists are shown above removing part of a wooden couch, covered with gold leaf and a hippopotamus head, from the tomb at the time

The gold burial mask of Tutankhamun, shown above, is one of the greatest treasures found inside the boy king's richly furnished tomb. Since its discovery, the story of the young ruler has entranced archaeologists

On November 4, 1922, Carter's group found steps that led to Tutankhamun's tomb and spent several months cataloguing the antechamber.

The discovery was made near the entrance of the nearby tomb of King Ramses VI in the Valley of the Kings.

On November 26, 1922, Carter and fellow archaeologist Lord Carnarvon entered the interior chambers of the tomb, finding them miraculously intact.

From then a famous exchange between Lord Carnarvon and Carter took place.

Tutankhamun died in mysterious circumstances around 3,000 years ago. His mummy, shown above being unwrapped by archaeologists, was removed from its ornate stone sarcophagus in the tomb in 2007 so it could be better preserved in a climate controlled case

Dr Reeves believes the pharaoh's room was simply an afterthought, describing it as a 'corridor-style tomb-within-a-tomb'. Pictured is its entrance

'Can you see anything?' asked George Herbert, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, standing in a gloomy passageway cut into the bedrock of the Valley of the Kings, on the west bank of the Nile.

'Yes,' replied Carter, who was peering at the antechamber to the royal tomb. 'Wonderful things.'

'At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker,' Carter later recalled.

'But presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold—everywhere the glint of gold.'

To document the entire process, the Metropolitan Museum sent Burton as the excavation photographer.

The discovery of Tutankhamun's 3,000-year-old burial chamber in 1922 captivated the world. Researchers recently released colourised black and white photos of the discovery. This image was taken in November 1925, and shows Tutankhamun lying with his burial mask on. The photo was taken as the coffin was opened

The antechamber captured in December 1922. Pictured are ornately carved alabaster vases in the antechamber, containing perfume. The pictures, taken by British photographer Harry Burton, have been made from the original glass plate negatives

Howard Carter and an Egyptian worker open the doors of the innermost shrine and get their first look at Tutankhamun's sarcophagus

He was 'Carter's eye and memory.' With his enormous camera and cumbersome negative plates, Burton trekked between the discovery site, his laboratory and his improvised darkroom.

'Every step of the excavation work was documented in photographs, right down to the smallest detail,' according to Premier Exhibition, who are displaying the photos.

'The results of Burton's labours are 2,800 large-format glass negatives, which document all of the finds, their location in the tomb and every single step of the excavators' work with the utmost precision.

'Carter patiently and unconditionally encouraged him like no other member of his team and, thanks to his photos, Burton was the first and only archaeological photographer to achieve worldwide fame.'

The colourised black and white photographs are part of a new exhibition opening in New York called The Discovery of King Tut.

But the discoveries to make made in King Tut's burial chamber are far from complete.