On November 4, 1922, the first stair to what would eventually be uncovered as Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in Egypt by the team of British archaeologist Howard Carter. King Tut’s tomb would quickly gain fame for being among the most intact pharaonic tombs, as well as for the curse that some said affected those who were involved in the tomb’s discovery.
Howard Carter had been excavating in the Valley of the Kings under the patronage of Lord Carnarvon since 1917, but by 1922 he still had not made any finds of major significance. When Lord Carnarvon threatened to withdraw his funding, Carter convinced Carnarvon to bankroll a final excavation season. The request paid off, and on November 4, 1922, Carter’s team discovered the top of a staircase. Further digging revealed a door to what would turn out to be Tutankhamen’s tomb, and Carter sent word to Carnarvon, who joined him in Egypt.
The tomb was officially opened on November 29 (though Carter, Carnarvon, and others had secretly entered before that), and they discovered that though the tomb appeared to have been robbed twice in antiquity, the majority of the treasures and other items remained inside. With such a host of artifacts, work on the tomb was slow and painstaking. It took months after the tomb’s discovery for the burial chamber to be opened, and three years after the discovery for the archaeologists to finally view Tutankhamen’s mummy itself. In total, it would take eight years for all the objects in the tomb to be documented and removed.
As soon as word got out about the discovery in 1922, the world was fascinated with the wonders that were uncovered from the 3,000-year-old tomb. Despite the ancient grave robbing attempts, Tut’s tomb was still among the best-preserved pharaoh’s tombs ever discovered. However, another factor also increased King Tut’s fame: the so-called “curse of the pharaohs.”
Beginning with Lord Carnarvon’s illness and death in April 1923 (due to complications following an infected mosquito bite), rumors of the curse grabbed the public’s attention. From then on, the deaths of any of the people associated with the tomb’s discovery were attributed to a curse that was said to affect anyone who had disturbed Tutankhamen’s rest. In all, dozens of deaths were claimed to be the result of the curse—though Howard Carter himself would live for more than 15 years after the discovery.
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I don’t know that the legacy of a 3000 year long dead pharaoh would be a series of deaths striking the archaeologists who discovered his final resting place. One would have to believe in the curse to the extent that such belief would materially affect his ability to continue to maintain life (which I very frankly do not believe)… RobtheElder
Just wait until all your teeth to fall out if you have blood guilt for any victims whatsoever outside of a legal mandate. You want to push buttons? Yours just got pushed. If your words are empty arrows then you better learn to swallow them just like your teeth.
As a baby, we’re you dropped on your head??
Irony.
Actually there was no curse on his grave. There was however one on that of his aunt. Her mummy was lost when it was transported across the Atlantic in a ship called Titanic. However, I feel pretty certain that was a coincidence too.
Ivar the Younger.
Acredito mais, nos riscos proeminentes vindos através de, uma possível infecção provinda de alguma bactéria oriunda do local. Por se tratar de um tumulo de idade significativa; Levando em consideração os tipos de insetos que se desenvolvem nestes ambientes.
E mais ainda em uma tumba egípcia, devido todos os tipos de artefatos usados.
I had the privilege of viewing the artifacts back in the late 1970’s when the Los Angeles Museum exhibited artifacts borrowed from the Museum in Cairo. I was astonished to see wood carvings that looked like they had been freshly carved and other artifacts so beautifully preserved it was amazing. I am so grateful I had that opportunity.
I think so much older than 3000 years old. and I think some items were stolen right away on the first entering. took to long to excavate. Carter may not have stolen, but his buddy who financed him I think did. 2 robberies before. bullshit!
I saw the Tut exhibit as it traveled in the U.S. it was unreal. But when I saw it in the museum in Cairo, Egypt it was awesome. The trip was fantastic to see the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens was a grand thing in my life. A Texas gal standing at the pyramids was too wonderful.
Got to see the artifacts at the 1984 Worlds Fair in Louisiana. So beautiful.
I saw the exhibition in Jacksonville, FLA I think and found it fascinating. I too have been intrigued by the deaths associated with the excavators.
John
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They could put of this story on TV at night and make a movie of the valley kings and queens it would great one too see.from 1922 with Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in the movies . I love all the story’s of The valley Kings and Queens .
Today is Tuesday Yes O suppose King Tut took out some malice on people for his tomb being disturbed and his treasures removed by others oh well worse has happened
Trevor, please, please, please do not off-handedly mention the ‘curse’ of Tutankhamen without pointing out that it is a totally bogus and discredited assertion. Everyone involved in the excavation died at the same rate and in the same ways as the general population. It is not ‘just good fun’ to suborn magical thinking in a world where magical thinking is continuously getting so many people killed. Consider taking this opportunity to enhance human progress by dismissing idiotic assertions of Egyptian curses.
I was privileged to see the Tut Artifacts when they were at the National Museum in Washington DC. Totally awesome!!
A very good friend of mine visited the Exhibit in New Orleans. He purchased a statue of King Tut as a gift for me. Every single female that touched it got pregnant. (including me) I have even loaned it to friends who were having problems having babies. My son kept it and they had 3 babies in 3 years. They remembered the story, and sent it immediately back to me. Total so far… 22 pregnancies.
I read somewhere they could have contracted Legionaire s disease from the old dust in there. If not that perhaps other spores or such could have infected them. A reasonable scientific theory i thinlk