August 26, 2007
LEGEND has it that the royal tombs of ancient
Egypt were sealed with monstrous curses
against all who trespassed into the domain of
the afterlife.
In the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun,
hieroglyphs were said to have spelled out a
dreadful end for all who entered. Howard
Carter, the archaeologist who opened the tomb
in 1923, wrote that "all sane people should
dismiss such inventions with contempt".
But a German man has decided the curse of the
mummies is definitely not a myth — and has
returned a plundered ancient carving he says
has fatally cursed his family. The relic was
stolen three years ago from the Valley of
Kings, home to the tombs of dozens of
pharaohs and nobles who were buried 3000
years ago.
The unnamed man decided to take it home to
Germany with him as a souvenir of his trip.
Trouble began on his return, according to an
anonymous note that accompanied the carving
when it was recently returned to the Egyptian
embassy in Berlin.
The thief was struck down with inexplicable
fatigue and fever, paralysis, and ultimately
death. The stolen piece was returned by his
stepson, who believed the curse would not end
with his relative's death.
Egypt's Supreme Council for Antiquities said
that by returning the carving, the stepson
hoped his relative's soul could rest in
peace. The apparent curse is the latest in a
long series of bedevilments to have struck
explorers and plunderers. King Tut's "curse"
is the most famous of those attached to the
pharaohs. The team that excavated his tomb is
said to have suffered a series of unexplained
deaths.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
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