When, in November of 1922, Howard Carter discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank at Luxor, the world was really very different then it is today. It was not a time of instant, live television coverage by investigative reporters. Rather, the world of media still belonged to newspapers, and information traveled much more slowly, and less reliably. 
It was a more superstitious time, and the media was fully adjusted to take advantage of the attribute to sell their publications. It was a time when reporters often simply made up facts in order to sensationalize their stories, and in print, people believed them.
The treasures that Howard Carter discovered in Tutankhamun's tomb were factually sensational, and so the media went into a frenzy covering the event, and the world paid attention.
In late March of 1923, a novelist named Mari Corelli (Mary Mackay) published a warning that there would be dire consequences for anyone who had entered the sealed tomb. Perhaps this revelation was inspired by the fact that on the day Howard Carter opened the tomb, his pet canary was swallowed by a cobra. Cobras, as the goddess Wadjet, were the protectors of the Pharaoh.
Lord CarnarvonLord Carnarvon financed Howard Carter's explorations. He had been in poor health for over 20 years following a motoring accident. When he died of pneumonia in Cairo on April 5th, 1923, only a few weeks after Mari Corelli's warnings, newspapers and other media throughout the world simply went crazy. As often as not, they made up the facts as they went along. Even Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes and himself a believer in the occult and at this time a very popular writer, announced that Lord Carnarvon's death could have been the result of a "Pharaoh's curse".
It was said that at the moment of Lord Carnarvon's death, the lights went out in Cairo (an event that is still not uncommon today), and that back in England his dog, susie, howled and died in the same instant. These reported events are difficult to prove or disprove.
However, other facts were simply invented by the press. One newspaper printed a curse reportedly found in the tomb:
"They who enter this sacred tomb shall swift be visited by wings of death."
There was no such curse, but there was one inscription found on an Anubis shrine that stated:
"It is I who hinder the sand from choking the secret chamber. I am for the protection of the deceased".
This was correctly reported to the public, but one reporter added his won words to the inscription:
"and I will kill all those who cross this threshold into the sacred precincts of the Royal King who lives forever."
In addition, newspapers appear to have arbitrarily killed off many of the people surrounding the tomb's discovery. According to one list, 26 people associated with the find died within a decade of its discovery. In reality, only six people died during this first decade, while many others lived to an old age.
For example, the curse should have laid squarely on the shoulders of Howard Carter himself, but he lived another 17 years, dying just prior to his 65th birthday. Yet he had spent about a decade working in the tomb. Others likewise lived long and fruitful lives. The following table provides the names and information of others involved in the discovery:
Name Died Age Function Comment
Adamson, Richard 1980+ 81+ Guard who slept in tomb
Benedite, Georges 1926 69 Louvre representative Died of heat stroke
Bethell, Richard 1929 Carter's personal secretary Died in London
Breasted, James H. 1935 70 Univ. of Chicago archaeologist
Bruyere, Bernard 1965+ 80+
Burton, Harry 1939+ Photographer Highly involved in project
Callender, A. R. 1939 Assistant to Carter Present at all tomb procedures
Capart, Jean 1947 70 Belgian Archaeologist
Derry, Douglas 1969 87 Cairo University anatomist Analyzed Tut's mummy
Engelbach, Reginald 1946 58 Cairo Museum
Gardiner, Sir Alan 1963 84 Philologist Handled all written material in tomb
Hall, Lindsley F. 1939+ Draftsman Present at all tomb procedures
Hauser, Walter 1939+ Draftsman Present at all tomb procedures
Herbert, Lady Evelyn 1980 78 Daughter of Lord Carnarvon Entered tomb when opened
Kuentz, Charles 1939+
Lacau, Pierre 1965 92 Egyptologist Intimately involved - all operations
Lefebvre, Gustave 1957 78 Cairo Museum
Lucas, Alfred 1950+ 79 Chemist for Egypt Government
Lythgoe, A. M. 1934 66 Metropolitan Museum (NYC)
Mace, Arthur C. 1928 Metropolitan Museum (NYC)
Winlock, Herbert E. 1950 66 Metropolitan Museum (NYC)
Sheikh Hussein 1997 87
Origins of the Mummy's Curse
As many might believe, the mummy's curse did not originate with the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. One researcher (Dominic Montserrat) believes that the tale of the mummy's curse actually originates during the 1820s with an English author and a bizarre theatrical striptease act where state mummies were unwrapped. The show, which took place near London's Piccadilly Circus in 1821, seems to have inspired a little known novelist named Jane Loudon Webb to write a fantasy book called, "The Mummy".
This book was set in the 22nd century and featured an angry, vengeful mummy who came back to life and threatened to strangle the books hero. Then in 1828, a children's book called "The Fruits of Enterprise" was published that had mummies set afire by explorers who used them as torches to explore a mysterious Egyptian pyramid. Of course, the mummies were portrayed as looking particularly vengeful. In 1869, the concept of the mummy's curse became clearer when, Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women, wrote a short story called "Lost in a Pyramid: The Mummy's Curse".
In this tale, an explorer again uses a mummy as a torch to brighten the interior of a pyramid. He discovers some seeds in the pyramid, and carries them back to America. His fiancee decides to plant the seeds, which then grow into grotesque flowers. Upon their wedding, she wares one of the flowers and inhales their scent, sending her into a coma as she becomes a living mummy. Other novelists also developed stories along the lines of the mummies curse, both in England and America over the next 30 years.
Even as late as the 1970's the curse seems to have remained active. While the exhibits were on tour and in San Francisco, one policeman guarding Tutankhamun's gold funerary mask claimed he had a mild stroke because of the curse. A judge dismissed this claim, but visits around today's internet still provide some wildly inventive information. Some web sites allude to the fact that, by 1969, only two members of the original excavation team had avoided the curse. Of course, being some 46 years after the tomb's discovery, even the youngest professional members of the team would have probably been in their seventies or beyond!
But then again....
We are well aware that dead bodies have the capacity to spawn infections that can be very dangerous for the living. It is very possible that ancient grave robbers, entering tombs shortly after the pharaoh's death, may have been exposed to diseases, and thus died from their crimes. This indeed could very likely have lead to an ancient belief in the "mummy's curse". In fact, the ancient pharaohs went to great lengths to protect their tombs, and would have probably been happily inclined to help spread such beliefs.
Today, archaeologists wear protective gear when unwrapping mummies. In 1999, Gotthard Kramer, a German microbiologist from the University of Leipzip, suggested that there might be some truth to the mummies curse. Studying 40 different mummies, he identified several potentially dangerous mold spores. He believes that when tombs were first opened, fresh air could have disturbed these spores, blowing them into the air, and perhaps, creating health problems.
The Curse as a Blessing
In reality, the curse of the mummy probably did more good then harm. Many early movies were made about the curse, in addition to the widespread media coverage. Even today, movies continue to be made with at least an underlying sense of the curse. All of this has bought several revivals of interest in Egyptology to the world, and there is no doubt about the blessings that the curse has bestowed on Egypt's tourism industry.
Even Tutankhamun himself might have been pleased with the discovery of his tomb. The ancient Egyptians believed that their souls were kept alive when their name was remembered, and this has been ensured.
Origins of the Mummy's Curse
As many might believe, the mummy's curse did not originate with the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. One researcher (Dominic Montserrat) believes that the tale of the mummy's curse actually originates during the 1820s with an English author and a bizarre theatrical striptease act where state mummies were unwrapped. The show, which took place near London's Piccadilly Circus in 1821, seems to have inspired a little known novelist named Jane Loudon Webb to write a fantasy book called, "The Mummy".
This book was set in the 22nd century and featured an angry, vengeful mummy who came back to life and threatened to strangle the books hero. Then in 1828, a children's book called "The Fruits of Enterprise" was published that had mummies set afire by explorers who used them as torches to explore a mysterious Egyptian pyramid. Of course, the mummies were portrayed as looking particularly vengeful. In 1869, the concept of the mummy's curse became clearer when, Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women, wrote a short story called "Lost in a Pyramid: The Mummy's Curse".
In this tale, an explorer again uses a mummy as a torch to brighten the interior of a pyramid. He discovers some seeds in the pyramid, and carries them back to America. His fiancee decides to plant the seeds, which then grow into grotesque flowers. Upon their wedding, she wares one of the flowers and inhales their scent, sending her into a coma as she becomes a living mummy. Other novelists also developed stories along the lines of the mummies curse, both in England and America over the next 30 years.
Even as late as the 1970's the curse seems to have remained active. While the exhibits were on tour and in San Francisco, one policeman guarding Tutankhamun's gold funerary mask claimed he had a mild stroke because of the curse. A judge dismissed this claim, but visits around today's internet still provide some wildly inventive information. Some web sites allude to the fact that, by 1969, only two members of the original excavation team had avoided the curse. Of course, being some 46 years after the tomb's discovery, even the youngest professional members of the team would have probably been in their seventies or beyond!
But then again....
We are well aware that dead bodies have the capacity to spawn infections that can be very dangerous for the living. It is very possible that ancient grave robbers, entering tombs shortly after the pharaoh's death, may have been exposed to diseases, and thus died from their crimes. This indeed could very likely have lead to an ancient belief in the "mummy's curse". In fact, the ancient pharaohs went to great lengths to protect their tombs, and would have probably been happily inclined to help spread such beliefs.
Today, archaeologists wear protective gear when unwrapping mummies. In 1999, Gotthard Kramer, a German microbiologist from the University of Leipzip, suggested that there might be some truth to the mummies curse. Studying 40 different mummies, he identified several potentially dangerous mold spores. He believes that when tombs were first opened, fresh air could have disturbed these spores, blowing them into the air, and perhaps, creating health problems.
The Curse as a Blessing
In reality, the curse of the mummy probably did more good then harm. Many early movies were made about the curse, in addition to the widespread media coverage. Even today, movies continue to be made with at least an underlying sense of the curse. All of this has bought several revivals of interest in Egyptology to the world, and there is no doubt about the blessings that the curse has bestowed on Egypt's tourism industry.
Even Tutankhamun himself might have been pleased with the discovery of his tomb. The ancient Egyptians believed that their souls were kept alive when their name was remembered, and this has been ensured.
Ten or twelve years ago we wrote in Protein Power about the data contained in the vast amount of ancient Egyptian mummies. We pointed out that several thousand years ago when the future mummies roamed the earth their diet was a nutritionist’s nirvana. At least a nirvana for all the so-called nutritional experts of today who are recommending a diet filled with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and little meat, especially red meat. Follow such a diet, we’re told, and we will enjoy abundant health.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way for the Egyptians. They followed such a diet simply because that’s all there was. There was no sugar - it wouldn’t be produced for another thousand or more years. The only sweet was honey, which was consumed in limited amounts. The primary staple was a coarse bread made of stone-ground, whole wheat. Animals were used as beasts of burden and were valued much more for the work they could do than for the meat they could provide. The banks of the Nile provided fertile soil for growing all kinds of fruits and vegetables, all of which were a part the low-fat, high-carbohydrate Egyptian diet. And there were no artificial sweeteners, artificial coloring, artificial flavors, preservatives, or any of the other substances that are part of all the manufactured foods we eat today.
Were the nutritionists of today right about their ideas of the ideal diet, the ancient Egyptians should have had abundant health. But they didn’t. In fact, they suffered pretty miserable health. Many had heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity - all the same disorders that we experience today in the ‘civilized’ Western world. Diseases that Paleolithic man, our really ancient ancestors, appeared to escape.
The press has been filled with reports of the recent discovery - thanks to DNA analysis - of the mummy of Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt for around 15 years 3500 years ago.
According to the New York Times, Hatshepsut’s mummy is that of an obese, diabetic 50 year old woman with bad teeth. All the conditions that nutritionists today would have us believe would be prevented by Hatshepsut’s diet. It certainly didn’t work for her. And she is not a special case - most Egyptian mummies show the same disorders, especially the bad teeth. The skeletal remains of Paleolithic man, who consumed a meat-based diet, showed strong, perfect teeth. Bad teeth are the hallmark of carbohydrate consumption.
Here is an X-ray of Hatshepsut’s mouth. You can see cavities, lost teeth, and evidence of severe tooth abscesses, which had to have been miserably painful.
Hatshepsut’s statue pictured to the right shows her in her idealized form. I’m sure most of the Egyptian graphics and statuary of the time represented people in a thin, healthy state instead of the shape they were really in. Based on the mummy data many ancient Egyptians were obese, which is clearly not represented in their contemporary artistic renditions. If one were to look through on issue of Cosmopolitan or GQ or virtually any magazine to day and look at the people in all the ads, one would think no one is obese now. Which clearly isn’t the case. I suspect that the ancient Egyptians intuitively figured that thin and trim people were more attractive than obese ones and created their pictures accordingly.
One other interesting aspect of Hatshepsut’s mummy is that it appears that she died from metastatic cancer. Cancer has been tough to find in mummified and skeletal remains, leading most researchers to assume that the rates of cancer today are driven by environmental contaminants that weren’t present in ancient times.
The moral of this tale of ancient poor health is that a whopping load of carbs - even non-refined carbs - didn’t do Hatshepsut a whole lot of good, and they don’t do us much good either irrespective of the bleatings to the contrary by today’s nutritionists, who are woefully unaware of the history of the high-carb diet.
