On November 24, 1922, wealthy archeology financier Lord Carnarvon stood at the opening to the newly discovered tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. A few short months later, he was killed by a series of mysteriously contracted illnesses. Legend has it that at the instant Carnarvon died in Cairo, Egypt, all the lights in the city went out. Hundreds of miles away in England, Carnarvon’s dog howled and dropped dead.
Were these events coincidence or did the fabled mummy’s curse exact revenge on the man responsible for disturbing his grave? Newspapers began to report that a hieroglyphic message in front of the tomb warned, “I will kill all of those who cross this threshold into the sacred precincts of the royal king.” The belief that entering Tutankhamun’s tomb had unleashed a supernatural force began spreading quickly.
Did King Tut curse the people who entered his tomb? You be the judge.
Carnarvon’s Sickness
While tabloid newspapers enjoyed pretending that Lord Carnarvon’s illness could not be explained, there is a simple explanation for his death. In the spring of 1923, Carnarvon was bitten by a mosquito on his cheek. After accidentally cutting the bite while shaving, the wound became infected. The infection weakened his immune system, making him vulnerable to the pneumonia that ultimately caused his death.
Many of the legends surrounding his death are difficult to prove. Although the lights may have gone out shortly Carnarvon’s death, blackouts were fairly common because of Cairo’s poorly maintained electrical system. As for his dog dying at the same time, this report was never proven. Finally, the frightening inscription on King Tut’s tomb was simply misreported. The correct translation read: “I am the one who prevents the sand from blocking the secret chamber.”
Other Members of the Tomb Team
If the mummy’s curse falls on anyone who enters the tomb, why wouldn’t other members of Carnarvon’s team die mysteriously? Howard Carter, the leading archaeologist, lived 16 years after opening the tomb. Other people involved in the King Tut excavation lived even longer. Douglas Derry, for example, was in charge of examining the mummy itself. Derry died in 1969 at the age of 87.
Case Closed?
Since Carnarvon’s death can be explained and many of the other team members lived long lives, it may be tempting to dismiss the mummy’s curse. Before you make a decision, consider one more opinion. Egyptologist Zahi Hawass performed CT scans to learn more about the mummy in 2005. When asked about the idea of a curse, he answered, “I cannot dismiss the legend of the curse because today many things happened. We almost had an accident in a car, the wind blew up in the Valley of the Kings and the computer of the CT scan was completely stopped for two hours.”
Sources Used
Lesko, Leonard H. "Tutankhamun." World Book Online Reference Center. 2006. 25 April, 2006.
"Legend of 'Mummy's Curse' Reawakened." Reuters. 2005. 25 April, 2006.
Warren, John. "The Mummy's Curse." Tour Egypt. 2006. 25 April, 2006. http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/curse.htm.
In the early 1900s, many believed mummies could curse those who entered their tombs.