SANTO DOMINGO.- “She was a very beautiful woman, we have proof from the images in alabaster, although we haven’t been able to locate her tomb’s entrance because a 10 by 10 wall and water found in a chamber detained us…, for now.”

The Dominican archaeologist whose name has circled the world, Kathleen Martinez, provided the information Tuesday morning in Santo Domingo, and noted that Egypt, through its director of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass is giving her full support in her quest to find the final resting place of Cleopatra and perhaps her lover Marc Anthony’s

Martinez said her team of archaeologists is discovering more evidence that the Egyptian queen’s priests carried her body to the temple after her suicide, where it could lie with that of the Roman general’s.

"This could be the most important discovery of the 21st century," Hawass, Egypt's chief archaeologist, told reporters on a tour of the temple recently. "This is the perfect place for them to be hidden."

Martinez said it took some time to get the Egyptian authorities to respect her and accept her as head of the excavation.”I arrived in Egypt with my luggage full of dreams, presented a 278 page report, the worst thing I expected was that I would be thrown out of Hawass’ office.

She said her being approved to head the expedition had “a component of luck,” because during her presentation to the authorities, a team of professors from Harvard University happened to be there, and afterwards they told Hawass that they were willing to support my idea.”

But it was far from being a done deal, Martinez said, because her theory had still to be reviewed by 100 university professors, whom had to render a report. “I was named adviser of the Government of Egypt for the excavation to find Cleopatra.”

The lawyer and archaeologist, asked about the profits her effort could provide, affirmed that all income is for the Egyptian government, but revealed that she’s writing a book for National Geographic. “I want to change the story of Cleopatra, I want to be her lawyer, I expect to find Cleopatra and Marc Anthony, all that’s in the tomb; such as papyrus which conserves, all that is buried with nobles of the time such as Tutankhamen, in who’s tomb papyrus was found.”

Interviewed by Huchi Lora and Patricia Solano on Telesistema 11, Martinez said despite the hurdles she faces in her country and abroad, she wants to change the stories about Cleopatra. “I want to debunk several things about Cleopatra, the events and the politics of the time; I had to impose myself over some obstacles, even the objection of my family.”