The Curse of King Tutankhamun has been fascinating for people for nearly a century. A mysterious discovery happened in 1922 with British archaeologist Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s tomb, located in the Valley of the Kings.

Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut, was an Egyptian pharaoh. He ruled during the 18^th dynasty of Egypt’s New Kingdom around 1332 to 1323 BCE. King Tut became one of the most famous pharaohs of Egypt in modern times of the discover of his intact tomb.

Who was King Tut?

Tutankhamun ascended to the throne at the very young age of nine, and he reigned for nine to ten years before his death at the age of 18 or 19. His reign followed the tumultuous period of religious reforms initiated by his predecessor Akhenaten, who promoted monotheism on the god Aten. After Akhenaten’s death, King Tut’s advisors restored the traditional polytheistic religion in Egypt. Tutankhamun’s reign saw major conflicts due to battles over land raging between Egypt and Nubia.

The discovery

King Tutankhamun, who was an pharaoh of Egypt of the 18^th dynasty, reigned for a brief period in the 14^th century BCE. His tomb is located in the Valley of the Kings and remained hidden for 3,000 years until British archaeologists uncovered it in 1922. The discovery was hailed as one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. The tomb was nearly intact and offered a rare glimpse into ancient burial practices of Egypt and treasures. From the excavation, three other shrines and a stone for the sarcophagus, were found along with a golden coffin. The discoverers also discovered the golden mask of King Tut from his tomb.       

How does the curse take hold?

The legend of the curse gained momentum when Lord Carnarvon, the wealthy British aristocrat who funded the excavation, died suddenly on April 15, 1923. This incident happened just after the tomb’s discovery when Carnarvon passed away from blood poisoning caused by an infected mosquito bite. His death has been seen in parallel with the timing of the tomb’s opening. There is a legend that disturbing the tombs of pharaohs of egypt brings bad luck, illness and death. This is known as the curse of King Tut. Rumors of a curse took place that a person dared to disturb the pharaoh’s final resting place, meet tragic death.

British newspapers sensationalized the story with one headline reading Death Comes to Those Who Disturb the Tomb. In fact, a cobra that is a symbol of protection for ancient Egyptian royalty killed Carnarvon’s pet canary on the day the tomb was opened.

Soon after the sudden death of Carnarvon, other deaths followed –

George Jay Gould was a wealthy American financier. He visited the tomb shortly after its discovery and died from high fever in 192. His death also signifies the curse of entering the tomb.

Arthur Mace was a prominent member of Carter’s team. He felt ill and died in 1928 from arsenic poisoning, and his death was attributed to the curse by many.

Aubrey Herbert was a half-brother of Carnarvon and died in 1923 following a series of surgeries to correct an eye condition. His death was also associated with the supposed curse.

The curse and its victims: Is it just a coincidence or a curse?

There were reports that as many as 11 people associated with the discovery of King Tut’s tomb had died, which may be called mysterious or unexpected circumstances by 1929. The deaths spanned a range of causes, i.e. blood poisoning, pneumonia, and heart failure among them. There is speculation among people that these incidents were too frequent to be mere coincidence. An analysis of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, conducted by New York in the 1920s, suggested that 26 individuals who had entered the tomb were cursed, although not all met their demise.

Among the more curious details surrounding the legend is the fate of Howard Carter. He was the lead archaeologist who excavated King Tut’s tomb. Carter lived for more than a decade after his discovery of the tomb and died of lymphoma in 1939 (aged 64). His death was due to natural causes and created questions about why the curse seemed to spare him.

Theories and scientific explanations

The notion of a curse persisted for decades, surrounded by the excavation of King Tut’s tomb. Scientists and historians have attempted to provide rational explanations for the deaths. A popular theory is that those who entered the tomb were exposed to harmful pathogens that had been sealed inside for thousands of years. Experts also believe that tombs that were closed off for millennia could harbour dangerous moulds or bacteria. These can be Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus, which cause respiratory infections.

Dr Ezzeddin Taha was an Egyptian microbiologist who speculated that Lord Carnarvon could have died from exposure to a fungal infection contracted in the tomb. This theory by the doctor is supported by the fact that several of the deaths linked to the curse involved respiratory issues and infections.

Incredible footage captures the moment Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s body was transferred from his sarcophagus into a transparent case.

King Tutankhamun, commonly known as King Tut, was an Egyptian pharaoh who reigned from around 1332 to 1323 BC. He was the product of an incestuous… pic.twitter.com/v1RETXZ8mR

— Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) August 1, 2024

The role of social media and sensationalism

The media have a role in perpetuating the legend of the curse. British journalist Arthur Weigall is credited with popularizing the curse after he overheard Carnarvon say, “I have had enough of all this before his death.” The excavation of King Tut ran stories with exaggeration of the danger of the tomb. As interest in Egyptology emerged, the story of the curse provided a thrilling narrative for the public.

This seal was actually a seal to Tutankhamen's fifth shrine. King was buried in a series of four sarcophagi, which were in turn kept inside a series of five shrines. This unbroken seal stayed 3245 years untouched. The late discovery of Tut’s tomb resulted from the fact that it… pic.twitter.com/3miWVfAGh4

— Archaeo – Histories (@archeohistories) January 28, 2024

It is nearly a century now since the discovery of King Tutankhamun and his tomb. The curse remains a source of intrigue and mystery. Despite scientific attempts to debunk the legend, the deaths of Carnarvon and others remain fueling the belief in the curse’s power. His artefacts are kept in popular museums like the Egyptian Museum Cairo, Luxor Museum, Griffith Institute, the University of Oxford, etc.

The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb stunned the world, but what followed was even more chilling. A series of unexplained deaths that began to plague those used to enter leads to the question, is it just a coincidence, or an ancient curse has been unleased? A curse or a series of coincidences remains as a riddle forever.

After 3000 years of silence, the sound of the trumpet of king Tutankhamen heard by the people from all over the world after BBC radio recorded it in 1939… These trumpets discovered in 1922 by Haward carter in the tomb of king Tut in valley of kings, luxor Egypt.

The silver… pic.twitter.com/8YGQ0pfaMe

— Archaeo – Histories (@archeohistories) July 6, 2024

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