Burial Chamber Curse: Tales of Horror and Tragedy

The Curse of the Burial Chamber Throughout history, tales of curses and supernatural occurrences have captured the imaginations of many. One such story is that of the Curse of the Burial Chamber. This ancient curse is said to haunt those who disturb the sanctity of a tomb or burial chamber. Legend has it that the curse originated in Egypt, where the ancient pharaohs were laid to rest in grand tombs filled with riches and treasures. These burial chambers were built to protect the pharaohs' remains and possessions, ensuring a smooth journey into the afterlife. However, it was believed that disturbing the resting place of a pharaoh would incur their wrath upon the intruders.

The fascination propelled by the extensive media coverage of the finds in the burial vault of “King Tut” lingers to this day, including the rumors of a supposed curse inflicted on the archaeological team that disturbed the grave. Writing in the journal SubStance, the scholar Philip Kuberski reminds us that the “curse had no foundation in the actual messages deciphered in the burial chambers, but it accurately reflected a popular prejudice against the desecration of the vaults of Pharaohs.” Furthermore, as the newspapers “clamored for more sensational finds than archaeological science had made, they encouraged the notion that science’s work was improper and unholy, even dangerous.”

After 10 drawn-out minutes of work, Carter created a small opening -- just large enough to peer into the chamber and see light bounce off the wall of a solid gold shrine. The fascination propelled by the extensive media coverage of the finds in the burial vault of King Tut lingers to this day, including the rumors of a supposed curse inflicted on the archaeological team that disturbed the grave.

However, it was believed that disturbing the resting place of a pharaoh would incur their wrath upon the intruders. The curse would bring about misfortune, illness, and even death to those who dared to disturb the sanctity of the burial chamber. As archaeologists began exploring the ancient Egyptian tombs, stories of the curse started to spread.

Was there really a curse on King Tutankhamen's tomb?

On Feb. 17, 1923, a crowd of about 20 invited g­uests gathered in an antechamber deep within the Valley of the Kings, an elite Egyptian city of the dead. Archaeologists and Egyptian dignitaries were there to view the unsealing of King Tutankhamen's burial chamber. While the tomb's outer rooms had already revealed a treasure trove of Egyptian art and furnishings, excavators were hoping to find something more: the undisturbed mummy of King Tut.

As Howard Carter, the expedition's chief archaeologist, cleared away the stone filling between the two rooms, the assembled audience watched in silence. After 10 drawn-out minutes of work, Carter created a small opening -- just large enough to peer into the chamber and see light bounce off the wall of a solid gold shrine.

While the treasure of Egypt's more prominent kings and queens had long since been looted, Tutankhamen's tomb lay protected for millennia by the debris of an ancient construction project. Although thieves had entered the tomb at least twice, they had never penetrated past the second shrine of the burial chamber.

Over the next several years, Carter would excavate the most famous cache of Egyptian treasure ever found. The burial chamber's nesting shrines, solid gold coffin and famous placid-faced mask would soon eclipse the splendor of the antechamber and annex.

But the excavation of the young king's tomb would also become famous for more ghoulish reasons. By April 1923, only two months after the chamber's unsealing, the project's financier, George Herbert, Lord Carnarvon, died of complications from a mosquito bite. Then his dog died. Then other people connected to the dig began to die under suspicious circumstances.

Rumors began to spread that Carnarvon and the others had stirred up the "mummy's curse," a Pharaonic hex dooming those who disturbed the rest of the dead kings and queens. An inscription supposedly carved on Tutankhamen's tomb warned that "Death will come on swift pinions to those who disturb the rest of the Pharaoh" [source: Ceram].

So is there any truth behind the curse? Can you really get sick from an ancient tomb? In the next section, we'll find out if the curse had any supernatural or scientific basis.

1. The Mummy's Curse
2. Could you really get sick from an ancient tomb?

The Mummy's Curse

Archaeologist Howard Carter and an assistant examine the coffin of Tutankhamen with little regard for the "curse."

The European and American public, already stricken by Egyptomania, seized upon the idea of the curse. Newspapers sensationalized the deaths of people connected with the expedition or its principles. Richard Bethell, Howard Carter's assistant; Bethell's father, Lord Westbury; A.C. Mace, Carter's partner and Lady Elizabeth Carnarvon were all victims of the so-called "Revenge of the Pharaohs" [source: Ceram]. Judging by the list of victims, native Egyptians were not affected by the curse.

Carter, as famous for surviving the mummy's curse (at least until his death in 1939) as he is for discovering Tutankhamen's tomb, hated the sensationalism that surrounded the excavation. He was deeply disturbed by the public's willingness to be taken in by superstition. Carter even tried to argue that Pharaonic curses had no place in Egyptian death rituals. Tomb inscriptions sometimes contained protective formulas, messages meant to frighten off enemies from this world or beyond, but usually just wished the dead well.

Tutankhamen's golden coffin looks as good today as it did more than 3,000 years ago.

In 1933, a German Egyptologist, Professor Georg Steindorff, wrote a pamphlet on Pharaonic curses, attempting to debunk the myth -- while also riding on its coattails. He studied the lives and deaths of the "victims," determining that many had never been near the dig and had only tenuous connections to the principle archaeologists or financiers.

But like all good curses, that of Tutankhamen's tomb stuck around in the public's imagination. Eighty years after the tomb's discovery, the British Medical Journal published a scientific study of the mummy's curse. Mark R. Nelson of Monash University, Australia, examined the survival rates of 44 Westerners identified by Carter as being in Egypt during the examination of the tomb.

Nelson assumed that because the curse was a "physical entity," it had power over only those physically present during the opening of a chamber or coffin (thus removing Lord Carnarvon's dog from the roster of victims) [source: BMJ]. Nelson defined several specific dates of exposure: the Feb. 17, 1923, opening of the third door, the Feb. 3, 1926, opening of the sarcophagus, the Oct. 10, 1926, opening of the coffins and the Nov. 11, 1926, examination of the mummy. For people who were present at more than one opening or examination, Nelson accounted for their increased exposure.

Out of 44 identified Westerners, 25 were present during an opening or examination. These 25 lived an average of 20.8 years after exposure, while the unexposed lived 28.9 years. The mean age at death for the exposed was 70 years and 75 for the unexposed. Nelson determined that the results proved there was no curse [source: BMJ].

But what if there's a scientific explanation for the phenomena some mistook as a curse? Can a tomb make an already sick person sick enough to die? Find out on the next page.

Could you really get sick from an ancient tomb?

Lord Carnarvon was dead long before archaeologists reached Tut's mummy.

Supernatural explanations for the mummy's curse may have been discredited by careful translations of protective formulas, study of Egyptian death rituals and even modern investigations, but the myth of the curse refuses to quit. Some still believe that there may be a scientific explanation for Lord Carnarvon's death that links it to Tutankhamen's tomb. The financier died from erysipelas, a bacterial infection that was brought on by a mosquito bite. This led to septicaemia, or blood poisoning, and pneumonia. Could exposure to toxic pathogens in the tomb have killed the already ailing man?

Carter maintained that the tomb was free from "bacillary agents," but modern studies show that respiratory-attacking bacteria are sometimes present in ancient tombs [source: Ceram]. Sarcophagi can also contain formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia gas -- all agents that assault the lungs. Ancient meat, vegetable and fruit funerary offerings, not to mention preserved human bodies, can attract dangerous molds like Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus while bat droppings can grow fungus.

But regardless of the potential for nasty microorganisms, experts don't think Lord Carnarvon's death was tomb-related. He died in the excavation's off-season, the time of year when it's too hot to dig in Egypt. He had been exposed to any potential bacteria, fungus or mold months before his illness.

Carter also maintained that the conditions of the tomb were more sanitary than most of 1920s Egypt -- that essentially, Lord Carnarvon was more likely to pick up a bacterial infection in modern Cairo, where he died, than in Tutankhamen's sequestered tomb. And even if a person were to catch an infection from a tomb, it would be nearly impossible to tell whether the agents that caused the infection were, in fact, ancient.

But regardless of the tomb's bacillary contents, any ancient grave undoubtedly lends itself to a good ghost story.

For more information on mummies, ghosts and other spooky topics, be sure to visit the next page.

The fascination with King Tutankhamen's tomb, curse and treasure extends to his own death. What killed the ruler? A 1968 X-ray showed a hole in the mummy's cranium, leading to the popular assumption that Tutankhamen was murdered. However, modern CT scans revealed greater detail, allowing scholars to recreate his face and deflate the theory of murder by blunt force. Scientists now believe archaeologists caused the hole when they removed Tut's famous mask. The CT scan also revealed a broken leg -- probably not life threatening and potentially caused by embalmers. The otherwise healthy teenager could have been poisoned but, for now at least, Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egypt's chief archaeologist, has closed the case on the boy king. In 2010, scientists used DNA studies and CT scans to suggest that Tut, who was also inbred and sickly, died of malaria and a degenerative bone condition called avascular bone necrosis -- all potentially exacerbated by a leg fracture [source: Wilford].

Tales of mysterious accidents, unexplained illnesses, and strange coincidences began to emerge. These incidents were attributed to the Curse of the Burial Chamber. One of the most famous examples of this curse is the story of the tomb of Tutankhamun, discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Allegedly, after the tomb's opening, a series of untimely deaths followed. These deaths were attributed to the curse, with some speculating that it was the pharaoh's revenge for the disturbance of his final resting place. However, skeptics argue that the Curse of the Burial Chamber is merely a superstition, and the deaths and misfortunes can be explained through rational means. They claim that the curse served as a cautionary tale to discourage any attempts to loot the tombs and steal the pharaohs' treasures. Despite the skepticism, the Curse of the Burial Chamber continues to captivate the imagination of many. It serves as a reminder of the cultural beliefs, the power of ancient myths, and the mystery that surrounds ancient civilizations. In conclusion, the Curse of the Burial Chamber is a captivating legend that tells of the consequences faced by those who disturb the resting places of ancient pharaohs. Whether a product of superstition or reality, the curse serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us to respect the sanctity of the past and the power of ancient beliefs..

Reviews for "From Ancient Egypt to Modern Times: The Curse of the Burial Chamber Continues"

- Sarah - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Curse of the burial chamber". The plot was weak and predictable, and the characters were one-dimensional. The acting was also subpar, with no real emotion or depth to the performances. The special effects were cheesy and didn't add anything to the overall experience. Overall, I found myself bored throughout the entire movie and couldn't wait for it to be over.

- Michael - 1/5 - "Curse of the burial chamber" was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The storyline was confusing and made no sense. The dialogue was poorly written and felt forced. The acting was wooden and lacked any depth. The special effects were laughable and seemed cheaply done. I regretted wasting my time and money on this movie and would not recommend it to anyone.

- Emily - 2.5/5 - "Curse of the burial chamber" had potential, but it fell short. The concept was interesting, but the execution was lacking. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, and the pacing was off. The characters were underdeveloped, and I couldn't connect with any of them. The movie had moments of suspense, but they were overshadowed by the overall mediocrity. While it had its moments, "Curse of the burial chamber" was ultimately forgettable.

The Burial Chamber Curse: A Study in Historical Phenomena