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Mention the curse of the mummy, and one of two things comes to mind: either a Boris Karloff-type rampaging mummy dragging strips of decaying linen, or an ancient curse of death that would strike anyone who dares to disturb the dead in Egypt.
Tomb raiders dating back more than 3,000 years have stolen priceless artifacts and destroyed what would have been important examples of mummification and insight into ancient Egyptian culture. Even archaeologists, in the name of science, have caused such devastation. But what about the alleged hieroglyphic curses found in tombs that threatened swift and certain death to those who entered or in any way disturbed the sleeping pharaohs and their entourages? Since at least 1922, when Howard Carter discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun, scientists have been trying to disprove the myth of the curse. Much of the blame for curse hysteria can be laid squarely on the media. In an effort to secure sensational stories about one of the most eerily mysterious secrets on earth, many correspondents and self-proclaimed experts embellished the translations to make them sound more dramatic and dangerous. For example, in the tomb of King Tut, at the Anubis shrine leading into the tomb treasury, the hieroglyphs read: "It is I who hinder the sand from choking the secret chamber. I am for the protection of the deceased." But a correspondent decided to enrich the quote by adding this at the end of the translation when he spoke to reporters: "And I will kill all those who cross this threshold into the sacred precincts of the Royal King who lives forever." No such threat existed; it was completely fabricated. A self-described "archaeologist" once told the press there was a curse written on a carved stone at the entrance to King Tut's tomb which read: "Let the hand raised against my form be withered! Let them be destroyed who attack my name, my foundations, my effigies, the images like unto me!" Conveniently, he explained that the stone upon which this curse appeared had been removed and buried. The curse was nothing more than another reporter's vivid imagination. The fact is that King Tut's tomb contained no curses whatsoever. Curses rarely appeared in ancient Egypt, but there were some threats found infrequently in tombs. However, most of these threats were not made against tomb robbers, but rather against people who stole monies appropriated for maintenance men and guards. The oldest example of this dates back to the 13th Dynasty and essentially wishes hardship upon any embezzelers and their descedents, and extends the hope that the thief's name and memory will be expunged from all records.
The copyright of the article Curse of the Mummy in Historical Myths is owned by . Permission to republish Curse of the Mummy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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