Tutankhamun’s Curse: Unraveling the Mystery Behind the Deaths of Those Involved and the Hidden Truth?

Ignoring warnings about the terrifying curse of the mummy of ancient Egypt’s youngest pharaoh, some archaeologists still committed the “sacrilegious” act of disturbing Tutankhamun’s coffin. Many of these people died mysteriously and the real cause is still controversial.

Archaeologist Howard Carter made a shocking discovery about the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in 1922.

The tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter and his team of archaeologists. In the documentary “Top 10 Secrets and Mysteries” aired on Netflix, the number of mysterious deaths after Tutankhamun’s coffin was opened is revealed.

“Most deaths can be explained medically, but six out of 12 people present at the opening of Tutankhamun’s coffin died mysteriously and still cannot be explained,” Express quoted information in the document as saying.

These cases all died in mysterious and unfortunate ways including murder, suicide and accidents.

Mysterious deaths and accidents

George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon and financial backer of the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb

George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon and financial backer of the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb, was the first to die mysteriously. Herbert died on May 4, 1923, after entering the tomb. The 5th Earl of Carnarvon died of blood poisoning, resulting from an infection from a mosquito bite. Some reports even said that when Herbert died, all the lights in his house mysteriously went out.

George Jay Gould I, an American financier, suddenly fell ill with a fever after a visit to Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1923. A few months later, he died of pneumonia.

Archibald Douglas-Reid, who took X-rays of the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, fell ill shortly after entering the tomb and died on January 15, 1924 from a mysterious illness.

The first people to “disturbed” the tomb of the youngest pharaoh in ancient Egypt

More dramatic was the case of Hugh Evelyn-White, a British Egyptologist and one of the first to enter Tutankhamun’s tomb, who hanged himself in 1924. He left a note written in blood saying: “I succumb to the curse that forces me to disappear forever.”

The most terrifying case was that of Bruce Ingham. He was given a paperweight believed to be the mummy’s hand by Howard Carter, the first man to open the coffin of Tutankhamun, wearing a bracelet that read: “Whoever touches my body will be cursed.” Some time after receiving the strange gift, Ingham’s house burned down in a fire. While rebuilding, the house was swept away by a flood.

Many strange objects were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb.

The death of the “blasphemers” was due to the curse of Tutankhamun?

Many mysterious deaths or disasters with people involved in the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb made many people believe in Tutankhamun’s curse.

According to National Geographic, a theory has been put forward about the cause of Herbert’s death. This theory suggests that the 5th Earl of Carnarvon died from exposure to an ancient pathogen hidden in Tutankhamun’s coffin.

“When it comes to Egyptian tombs, they don’t just contain mummies, but also many other things like meat, plants, or even fruits that were buried with the dead when they went to the afterlife. These things attract insects, mold, bacteria, pathogens… and remember they last for thousands of years,” said Jennifer Wegner, an Egyptologist at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.

Several studies have shown that some ancient mummies contained molds including at least two highly toxic species, Aspergillus Niger and Aspergillus Flavus. These can cause allergic reactions such as blockages or bleeding in the lungs and are especially harmful to people with weakened immune systems.

Some of the tomb walls also contained bacteria that attack the respiratory tract such as Pseudomonas or Staphylococcus.

Objects and walls in ancient tombs often contain many harmful bacteria and molds.

Scientists also found ammonia, formaldehyde and hydrogen sulfide in the sealed coffin. In high concentrations, they can cause burning eyes, nose and symptoms of pneumonia. Severe cases can lead to death.

One discovery in Egyptian tombs was that many bats lived inside. Bat droppings also carry fungi that can cause respiratory diseases.

Under the right conditions, the above substances can be lethal.

When opening coffins, archaeologists rarely wear masks or protective gear.

According to Egyptologist Wegner, archaeologists rarely wear masks when entering tombs, even when opening coffins.

“On the archaeological projects I’ve been involved in, we don’t usually wear masks or other protective gear. If we do, it’s more to protect against dust than bacteria or mold,” Wegner said. This could be the reason why so many people have contracted diseases and died mysteriously. In addition, the suicides and fires that are said to be related to the mummy’s curse could just be coincidences.