Curse of the Mummy
Is there really a curse or is it all hype? Mummies have always been associated with magical powers, particularly in Egypt. Some found were ground up in to powder and sold. It was believed this powder had magical healing properties. Of course this was before the discovery of King Tut's tomb.
Tutankhaten or Tutankhamun became pharaoh at the age of nine years old. He reigned for ten years likely during the 18th dynasty. He was well known for his rejections of the radical religious innovations presented by his predecessor and of course, his tomb. He died at the age of nineteen with a wife, Ankhesenamen, and possibly two female children (these babies were found in his tomb and their significance and identity is still unknown). His cause of death is still a mystery although recent CT Scans showed he may have died from gangrene thanks to an infected broken leg. If this is proven to be true then his death was likely unexpected. Therefore, his royal tomb was not completed prior to his death. It's possible he was buried in a tomb meant for his successor Ay in the Valley of the Kings. Does the tomb come with a curse?
Many believe the curse was hype created by the media. In 1922, Lord Carnarvon discovered the pharaoh's tomb. He died shortly after the tomb's opening, but was it natural or supernatural? The problem began when he was bitten on the cheek by a mosquito in 1923. He further aggravated the bite during his morning shaving routine. It soon became infected and became quite ill, suffering a high fever and chills. He sought medical attention but it was too late. It wasn't so much how he died but what happened when he died. At the exact moment of his death, all the lights in Cairo mysteriously extinguished. This possible coincidence sent the media in to overdrive with rumors of a curse and vengeance sought out by King Tut.
They didn't take in account the facts that Lord Carnarvon was not in the best of health prior to the discovery or his death occurred months after it. They also didn't mean Howard Carter, the archaeologist who opened the tomb, lived for decades after the discovery logging and recording artifacts found in the tomb. Although, there were speculations his pet canary was killed by a cobra which was associated with the so called "curse". You also have to factor in that the tomb not only contained bodies but also food: meats, vegetables and fruits. Rotten food equals bacteria and mold. Scientists have found both within the tomb. These toxins aren't considered dangerous unless you have a compromised immune system. Therefore, could explain some of the illnesses acquired by visitors.
Does this explain away the curse? Possibly. Curses only have as much power as you give them.
Tutankhaten or Tutankhamun became pharaoh at the age of nine years old. He reigned for ten years likely during the 18th dynasty. He was well known for his rejections of the radical religious innovations presented by his predecessor and of course, his tomb. He died at the age of nineteen with a wife, Ankhesenamen, and possibly two female children (these babies were found in his tomb and their significance and identity is still unknown). His cause of death is still a mystery although recent CT Scans showed he may have died from gangrene thanks to an infected broken leg. If this is proven to be true then his death was likely unexpected. Therefore, his royal tomb was not completed prior to his death. It's possible he was buried in a tomb meant for his successor Ay in the Valley of the Kings. Does the tomb come with a curse?
Many believe the curse was hype created by the media. In 1922, Lord Carnarvon discovered the pharaoh's tomb. He died shortly after the tomb's opening, but was it natural or supernatural? The problem began when he was bitten on the cheek by a mosquito in 1923. He further aggravated the bite during his morning shaving routine. It soon became infected and became quite ill, suffering a high fever and chills. He sought medical attention but it was too late. It wasn't so much how he died but what happened when he died. At the exact moment of his death, all the lights in Cairo mysteriously extinguished. This possible coincidence sent the media in to overdrive with rumors of a curse and vengeance sought out by King Tut.
They didn't take in account the facts that Lord Carnarvon was not in the best of health prior to the discovery or his death occurred months after it. They also didn't mean Howard Carter, the archaeologist who opened the tomb, lived for decades after the discovery logging and recording artifacts found in the tomb. Although, there were speculations his pet canary was killed by a cobra which was associated with the so called "curse". You also have to factor in that the tomb not only contained bodies but also food: meats, vegetables and fruits. Rotten food equals bacteria and mold. Scientists have found both within the tomb. These toxins aren't considered dangerous unless you have a compromised immune system. Therefore, could explain some of the illnesses acquired by visitors.
Does this explain away the curse? Possibly. Curses only have as much power as you give them.
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