This paper was written for Humanities 111 at Strayer University. The class was taught by Professor Pigg.

The purpose of this essay is to explain the mystery behind “the mummy’s curse.” I will first explain a theory that predates the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb. This concept by An Egyptologist Dominic Montserrat after a comprehensive search concluded that the concept began with a strange “striptease” during the 1820s where state mummies were unwrapped. This inspired a little known novelist named Jan Loudon Webb to write a 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 here. Other novelists also developed stories along the lines of the mummies curse in both England and America. A second theory some believe to be “the curse of the pharaoh” which I believe to be an urban myth. There was a message outside of the tomb that was translated to say “Death Shall Come on Swift Wings to Him Who Disturbs the Peace of the King.” Legend has it that anyone who dared open the tomb would suffer the wrath of the mummy. There were a series of unfortunate events that suddenly began to affect the men who entered first. Some became ill, others died. Even as late as the 1970’s the curse remains active. While the exhibit was on tour in San Francisco, one policeman guarding Tutankhamen’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 of the sites allude to the fact that, by 1969, only two members of the original excavation team had avoided the curse. Of course, after some 46 years after the tom’s discovery, even the youngest profession members of the team would have probably been in their seventies or beyond.
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The third theory would be the scientific explanation behind the mysterious deaths. In 1986, Dr. Caroline Stinger-Phillip discovered the mystery behind the deaths. There seem to be mold growing on the walls of the tomb. The dust particles from the mold had a high allergenic potency. The individuals who entered the tomb first suffered an allergic reaction, symptoms from the reaction was probably the cause of their deaths. We are well aware that dead bodies have the capacity to spawn infections that can be dangerous for the living. In fact, ancient pharaohs went to great lengths to protect their tombs, and would have probably been happy to help spread such beliefs. Today, archeologists wear protective gear when unwrapping mummies. In 1999, Gotthard Kramer, a German microbiologist from the University of Leipzig, suggested that there might be some truth to the mummies curse. He studied 40 different mummies and identified several potentially dangerous mold spores. Kramer believes that when the tombs were first opened, fresh air could have disturbed these spores, blowing them into the air, and perhaps, increasing health problems. I believe the final theory to be correct. The science of how they inhaled the mold spores, showed symptoms of the allergic reaction and then not having these health problems treated was the cause of their deaths. I do not believe in myths and curses that everything else is coincidental. In reality, the curse of the mummy probably did more good than harm. Many movies were made about the curse, in addition to the widespread media coverage. All of this brought several revivals of interest in Egyptology to the world and there is no doubt about the monetary
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affect that the curse has brought on Egypt’s tourism industry. The ancient Egyptians believed that their souls were kept alive when their names were remembered, so Tutankhamen may even be pleased with the discovery of his tomb and the publicity around it keeping his name remember.

REFERENCES: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/archaeology/curse-of-the-mummy/ http://www.kingtutone.com/tutankhamun/curse/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_pharaohs Kayden, S. (2011, October 10). The Curse. Scholastic Scope, 145(8), 11.
Day, J. (2006). The Mummy’s Curse: Mummymania in the English-speaking World. Oxon, UK:
Rutledge.
Sayre, H.M. (2008). The Humanities: Culture, Continuity and Change. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hal