Curse of Tutankhamun
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Curse of Tutankhamun
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The Curse of
Tutankhamun
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The Reported
Curse of Tutankhamun
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The Truth about
the Curse of Tutankhamun
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Facts about the
Curse of Tutankhamun
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The Myths and
Legends surrounding the Curse of Tutankhamun
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King Tut Index |
Curse of King Tut |
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Curse of Tutankhamun
The Curse of Tutankhamun
Stories of the Curse of Tutankhamun
still circulate today. Myths and legends about deaths, curses and
mummies are both fun and frightening. The idea of the curse
is kept alive by our imaginations and constant reminders of the curse by
various movies. We are fascinated by the boy-king who was buried with
his fabulous treasures for nearly 3500 years. There is part of us that
perhaps believe that it was wrong to disturb his secret, sacred burial
place. And that the invocation of the 'Curse of Tutankhamun' was just
retribution for the violators of his tomb. But what are the facts and
what is fiction that surround the legends and myths of the Curse of
Tutankhamun?
The Reported Curse of Tutankhamun
What was the wording of the Curse of
Tutankhamun? The 1922 newspapers, at the time the tomb of King Tut was
discovered by Howard Carter and his financier Lord Carnarvon, were
involved in the first media frenzy. Before long there were rumours of
the Curse of Tutankhamun. Eminent people of the day, such as Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle, were adding credence to the curse. The Curse of Tutankhamun
was reported as being: "It is I who hinder the sand
from choking the secret chamber, and who repel that one who would repel
him with the desert-flame. I have set aflame the desert. I have caused
the path to be mistaken.
I am for the protection of the Osiris.
This is to repel the enemy of Osiris, in whatever form he may come."
This curse was soon further sensationalized and
interpreted as basically reading:
"Anyone who disturbs the tomb of Tutankhamun
will die a terrible death"
The Truth about the
Curse of Tutankhamun
So we know that the press fuelled
the idea of the Curse of Tutankhamun. But why? Was the Curse of
Tutankhamun based on any facts? What are the facts and what is fiction
that surround the legends and myths of the Curse of Tutankhamun? This
section details the facts about the how the Curse of Tutankhamun grew.
Comprehensive details of the occurrences can be accessed via the
Curse of King Tut
link.
Facts about the
Curse of Tutankhamun
The following information provides an insight into the facts and fiction
surrounding the Curse of Tutankhamun:
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The Curse of
Tutankhamun |
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Fact 1 |
The Tomb of Tutankhamun was
discovered by Howard
Carter
4 November 1922 |
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Fact 2 |
The excavation was financed by
Lord Carnarvon
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Fact 3 |
26 November 1922: Carter
makes the famous "tiny breach in the top left hand
corner" of the tomb doorway accompanied by Lord
Carnarvon and his daughter Lady Evelyn Herbert. |
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Fact 4 |
The day the tomb of King Tut was
opened a cobra attacked the pet canary which belonged to
Carnarvon. This was seen as an omen as a rearing cobra
emblem was associated with the protection of the pharaohs |
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Fact 5 |
December 1922: The press go into
a frenzy about the discovery of the tomb, disturbing
the work being conducted at the tomb. Newspapers
and the Curse of King Tut |
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Fact 6 |
9 January 1923: Lord
Carnarvon strikes an exclusive deal with The
Times. Other journalists are furious about
the deal and forced to find different ways to cover
the story |
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Fact 7 |
5 April 1923: Carnarvon
dies septicaemia after nicking a mosquito bite with his
cut-throat razor. When the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was
later unwrapped a wound was found on the cheek of the mummy
in the same position as the mosquito bite |
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Fact 8 |
At the time of his death all of the
lights were reported to have gone out in Cairo for twenty
minutes |
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Fact 9 |
At the point of his death it was
also reported that Carnarvon's pet Fox Terrier dog let out a
loud howl and dropped dead at Highclere Castle |
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Fact 10 |
An inscription is found on an
Anubis shrine found in the tomb of Tutankhamun that stated:
"It is I who hinder the sand from choking the secret
chamber. I am for the protection of the deceased". Reporters
embellish the 'Curse of Tutankhamun'
Tomb Curses |
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Fact 11 |
The Anubis Shrine and inscription
was one of a series of Four
Magic Bricks |
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Fact 12 |
The four protective "magic bricks"
and protective objects related to them (the Shabti, the
Torch, Jackal God Anubis and the Djed Pillar had spells, or
curses, attached to them |
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Fact 13 |
The protective spells
relating to the "magic bricks" and the associated objects
were contained in Chapter 151 from the Book of the Dead |
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Fact 14 |
The spells associated with the
above objects were mixed together and reported in the
newspapers as the Curse of King Tut |
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Fact 15 |
Different interpretations and curses were added |
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Fact 16 |
The Curse of King Tut ideas were
fuelled by a novelist named
Marie Corelli
and the eminent author,
Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle |
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Fact 17 |
Newspapers blame the deaths of
other people, associated with the opening of the tomb, on
the Curse of King Tut. |
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Fact 18 |
It was reported that "Several
American politicians went so far as to call for an
investigation of mummies to determine whether or not these
possessed the same medical dangers as those thought to be
apparent in the tomb." |
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Fact 19 |
Of the 26 people present at the
opening of the tomb, only six died within ten years.
Theories about the
Victims of
the Curse of King Tut still continue in modern times |
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Fact 20 |
On 2 March 1939 Howard
Carter died, of natural causes, at the age of 65 |
The Curse of Tutankhamun
There was never just one specific
Curse of King Tut. But the myths and legends are indeed based on
some truth, facts and beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians.
Curse of Tutankhamun
Each section of the Curse of Tutankhamun addresses all topics and
provides interesting facts and information about the Golden Age of
Pharaohs and of Egypt. The Sitemap provides full details
of all of the information and facts provided about the fascinating subject
of the Pharaoh - Tutankhamun and the Curse of Tutankhamun!
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