THE CURSE OF TUTANKHAMUN (PT 1)

THE CURSE OF TUTANKHAMUN (PT 1)

In November of 1922, after years of searching in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of the long-forgotten pharaoh Tutankhamun. What waited inside would become one of archaeology's most celebrated discoveries. [thecollector.com], [missedhistory.com]

But almost immediately, another story began growing alongside the discovery: the Curse of the Pharaoh.

When Carter's financial backer, Lord Carnarvon, died in Cairo on April 5, 1923, newspapers helped turn his death and later misfortunes associated with people connected to the excavation into an international sensation. [en.wikipedia.org], [nelcdh.ds.lib.uw.edu]

But was there really a curse?

In THE CURSE OF TUTANKHAMUN (PT 1), we go back to the discovery itself, the opening of the tomb, the death of Lord Carnarvon, and the extraordinary worldwide fascination that followed.

We'll also look at something often lost in the legend: no curse was actually found inscribed in Tutankhamun's tomb, although genuine protective curses and warnings are known from other ancient Egyptian tombs. [en.wikipedia.org]

So was King Tut's curse largely a creation of newspapers, coincidence and our own fascination with the supernatural?

By the end of Part 1, the case against the curse looks pretty convincing.

But wait just a minute...

Have we really given the defense a chance to speak?

Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes and a committed believer in paranormal phenomena, became associated with the supernatural interpretation of the events surrounding Tutankhamun. Perhaps we ought to give him, and the centuries-old idea of the curse itself, a day in court. [ifhistory.net]

COMING FRIDAY:

THE CURSE OF KING TUT (PT 2): THE DEFENSE SPEAKS

This time we're turning the tables.

We'll look at some of history's strangest alleged curses, from the amusing to the genuinely unsettling, and ask a question that may be harder to answer than it first appears:

When does coincidence stop feeling like coincidence?

Join me for both episodes at 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries, part of the 1001 Stories Network.

Part 1 presents the prosecution's case. Friday, the defense gets the floor.