The Pharaoh curse

The ancient Egyptian civilization is one of the civilizations full of deep mysteries and secrets that have puzzled a large number of archaeologists. The Pharaoh curse is one of the most prominent mysteries around which many issues have been raised, such as the case of the death of the discoverer of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

The curse states that anyone who touches the tomb will be afflicted with bad luck. Is the curse real or just a trick to keep people away from the tomb?

What is The Pharaoh curse?

The Pharaoh curse is a belief that anyone who approaches ancient Egyptian mummies, especially the tombs of kings, will be cursed. Their fate will be death, or they will suffer from bad luck throughout their lives, without distinguishing between tomb robbers who steal mummies and their artifacts, and archaeologists.

The idea of this curse dates back to the ancient era in the Pharaonic state, due to their belief that the dead possess immense magical powers that could harm anyone who tries to approach them. According to data issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, curse texts were written on most of the tombs of the ancient Egyptians.

When did the curse begin?

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The idea of the curse began to gain fame in the early 20th century, after the discovery of the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun. A series of mysterious events occurred to members of the discovery team and were linked to the curse texts inscribed on Tutankhamun’s tomb.

The British expedition, led by its head, the scientist Howard Carter, explored the tombs of the Valley of the Kings in 1922. The tomb of Tutankhamun was found inside, and then the excavation process began to uncover its contents, which included Pharaonic statues, artifacts, the burial chamber, the sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun, and most importantly, the king’s golden mask.

The head of the exploring expedition team and some of its members died from diseases and sudden death shortly after the discovery. This made the matter more associated with the occurrence of the curse of the royal tombs for them.

What is the nature of this curse?

The curse texts appear clearly on most of the tombs of the ancient pharaohs, the most famous of which are the texts found on the tomb of King Tutankhamun. It was found written, “Death shall come on swift wings to him who disturbs the peace of the king.”

Another phrase was found written on one of the statues in the tomb, which indicates that whoever approaches the tomb will be driven away by the flame of the desert. After that, strange events befell the discoverers of the tomb shortly after it was opened.

The ancient Egyptians aimed to write curse texts on the tombs of the pharaohs to prevent the theft of the tombs and their contents of treasures and jewelry. The curse included many punishments such as hunger, bad luck, drowning, and loss of honor and status among people, and death.

The Truth Behind the Curse of Tutankhamun

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The curse on the tomb of Tutankhamun is a non-real myth, as proven by scientific studies and archaeologists, most notably Dr. Zahi Hawass, the former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities. Although some members of the Tutankhamun expedition team died, others lived for long periods after the discovery.

Scientific research has proven that the cause of death of the discoverers of Tutankhamun’s tomb is due to the following reasons:

• Germs and Bacteria: Many bacteria and germs are present inside the kings’ tombs due to their being under the sand for thousands of years. Inhaling these bacteria caused poisoning to the team members, which led to their deaths.
• Poisonous Gases: Poisonous gases such as radon gas are abundant in the kings’ tombs. Inhaling this gas can expose one to lung cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death.
• Mosquitoes and Diseases: The mosquitoes present inside the tombs were a cause of death for some workers, due to their contracting diseases caused by mosquitoes.
• Health Condition: Some attribute the cause of death of the tomb’s discoverers to their poor health condition, which had no relation to the tomb, especially since some died several years after the tomb’s discovery.

Prominent Myths Associated with The Pharaoh curse

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The fame of The Pharaoh curse has spread among many, which has led them to link it to a number of incidents such as:

• The ship grounding incident: In 2021, a cargo ship ran aground in the Suez Canal, causing the canal to be blocked for a period. Some linked this incident to the presence of The Pharaoh curse as a result of the transfer of a number of mummies to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization at the same time.
• The Titanic incident: Some pointed out that an Egyptian mummy was among the ship’s cargo, which caused the curse to strike the ship and sink it.
• The Alexandria Tomb: The Alexandria tomb was discovered in 2018, and some were afraid to open it for fear of being afflicted by The Pharaoh curse.
• The death of archaeologist Zahi Hawass’s cousin: After archaeologist Zahi Hawass excavated Pharaonic antiquities, he was surprised by the death of his cousin, then his uncle on the first anniversary of the discovery, and then his aunt on the third anniversary.

Mysterious Incidents Associated with Archaeological Discoveries

A number of archaeological discoveries have been linked to the occurrence of a number of mysterious incidents for their discoverers:

• The Tomb of Casimir IV: The death of some excavators in the tomb of the Polish king Casimir IV led to the promotion of the curse of this tomb.
• The Battle of Tippecanoe: The Battle of Tippecanoe has been linked to the death of a number of American presidents in a specific manner.
• Lord Carnarvon: Some linked the curse of Tutankhamun’s tomb to the death of the financier of the Tutankhamun discovery expedition, Lord Carnarvon, who participated in the excavation of the tomb, while it was proven that the cause of his death was blood poisoning.
• Aubrey Herbert: He was the half-brother of Lord Carnarvon and also died a few months after his brother’s death from blood poisoning, but some promoted this as the curse striking the family.

The Role of the Media in Spreading the Myth of The Pharaoh curse

There is no doubt that the media had a prominent role in promoting the myth of the curse, especially the British media. Many British newspapers published numerous articles about the curse and the tomb of Tutankhamun and its relationship to the death of the excavators in the tomb.

In the modern era, the curse has formed an important inspiration for most authors and writers of cinematic films. The imaginative expansion in writing about Egyptian mummies has increased, as happened with the portrayal of the mummy returning to life in some foreign films.

The Impact of The Pharaoh curse on Tourism and Archaeology

The claims promoting the myth of The Pharaoh curse have had both a negative and a positive impact at the same time. Some believed in the effect of magic and the curse, which prevented them from approaching any archaeological discoveries, as happened with the Alexandria tomb. This negatively affects tourism at archaeological sites.

The positive impact of the claims of the curse was also in promoting the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, which was found inside the Valley of the Kings, and its association with the rumors that spread about the death of the excavators. This increased the interest of excavators to study and explore the tombs of other kings more, which have become tourist attractions today.

Conclusion

The Pharaoh curse is one of the most prominent myths of ancient Egyptian civilization, and its appearance is linked to the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the incidents that revolved around it, which have continued to this day in popular culture and the global media. However, it has been completely debunked by archaeologists and scientific studies.

FAQs

Which pharaoh had a curse?

In religious texts, the pharaoh of Moses is considered the cursed pharaoh for his oppression on earth and his denial of the message of the Prophet Moses.

What is the pharaoh’s curse in 40 words?

The Pharaoh curse is an Egyptian myth stating that whoever opens the tombs of the pharaohs will be afflicted with bad luck, illness, or death. This curse became famous after the British expedition’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 and its fame spread after the death of the excavators of the tomb.

How did the curse of the pharaohs start?

The emergence of The Pharaoh curse began with the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and its association with the death of its excavators.

How did the pharaoh die in Islam?

The pharaoh of Moses died by drowning in the Red Sea while pursuing the Children of Israel and the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him).