The Curse of the Pharaohs' Tombs
Harrison Paul
CURSE OF THE PHARAOHS’ TOMBS
For my wonderful grandchildren
Mia, Tom and Abbie
CURSE OF THE PHARAOH’S TOMBS
Tales of the Unexpected Since the Days of Tutankhamun
Paul Harrison
First published in Great Britain in 2017 by
PEN & SWORD ARCHAEOLOGY
an imprint of
Pen and Sword Books Ltd
47 Church Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire S70 2AS
Copyright © Paul Harrison, 2017
ISBN 978 1 78159 366 0
eISBN 978 1 47388 543 1
Mobi ISBN 978 1 47388 542 4
The right of Aidan Mark Dodson to be identified as the author of work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
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Contents
Preface
Introduction
Glossary
Chapter 1 – Death in the Desert Sands
Chapter 2 – Death Has Wings
Chapter 3 – The Curse of the London Mummy
Chapter 4 – The Last Train Standing...
Chapter 5 – The Curse of Cleopatra’s Needle
Chapter 6 – The Dog-Headed Men
Chapter 7 – A Fate Worse Than Death
Chapter 8 – The Curse of the Pharaohs
Chapter 9 – Tutankhamun’s Tomb – The Hidden Story
Chapter 10 – Mysterious Happenings
Chapter 11 – The Sad End of Walter Ingram
Chapter 12 – The Curious Tale of Isaiah Deck
Chapter 13 – More Mummy Wrappings
Chapter 14 – The Mystery of Nesyamun
Chapter 15 – The Scottish Mummy
Chapter 16 – The Curse of the Czar’s Ring
Bibliography
Preface
I have studied and researched the subject of ancient Egyptian curses for some time, so it would be fair to say that I possess a plethora of knowledge on the subject. Tales of mysterious goings-on litter historical and modern-day revelations from the land of Egypt. Curses are synonymous with Egypt and, more specifically, with the great pharaohs: stories, myths and legends that have been embellished by countless retellings of a more sinister nature. The curse had an altogether different meaning for the ancient Egyptians than it does today Western culture, which has sensationalised it. For the ancient Egyptians, who embraced death, a curse was a way to maintain law and order and allow the dead pharaoh’s soul to successfully traverse through to the afterworld, where they could be reunited with their worldly form and live in Aalu (paradise) for eternity.
I could never have completed this book without the assistance of many other people, too many to list and detail here. Primarily, I want to thank my own family and their continuing belief in my work. The staff of the Cairo museum supported the concept and helped direct me to many sources. The staff of the British museum, who maintained an air of sensibility and level-headedness about the subject, were most helpful in their observations. I wish to thank the team at Pen & Sword for their support and understanding in allowing me time to complete the manuscript, in particular my editors, Eloise Hansen and Heather Williams. My study of ancient Egypt has led me to appreciate the wonder and interest of this era in human history, and I wholeheartedly recommend that readers visit the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, Cairo, Luxor or the Valley of the Kings (and Queens) if they can.
Introduction
The first legends of the ‘curse of the pharaohs’ arose sometime in the seventh century, when the first Arabs arrived in Egypt. Unable to read hieroglyphics, they were seemingly confused by what they saw: almost everything in the land was strange and had an air of the mysterious about it. The highly decorated tombs and the incredible mummy preservation ignited all kinds of fantasy in their imaginations, and subsequent stories were based on those initial finds. The Arabs were of the opinion that if they entered a tomb and were able to recite a magical spell, then beautiful rich objects that had been made invisible by the ancient Egyptians would appear before them and be theirs to take. There was also an element of fear, as it was widely believed that the mummies would spring to life again. The Arabs believed the tombs to be protected by magic and curses.
My own fascination with Egyptology began when I was just twelve years old, with a tale that held me spellbound throughout my school life and has continued to captivate me to this day. In 1972, England was gripped by the strange myths and legends and history surrounding a dead Egyptian pharaoh, the boy king, Tutankhamun. A unique exhibition entitled ‘Treasures of Tutankhamun’ was formally opened at the British Museum, London, on 30 March 1972 by Queen Elizabeth II. The exhibition, which displayed countless priceless artifacts recovered from Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, was scheduled to run for six months but was so popular that it was extended until the end of December. A total of 1,694,117 visitors (over 7,000 per day) queued to see the objects and curiosities that were on display. The author (then a boy) was one of those fortunate enough to see the wonders discovered by Howard Carter half a century earlier. The exhibition secured my lifetime interest in ancient Egypt and, in particular, because of the beauty of the objects left within the dead pharaoh’s tomb, the ancient Egyptians’ fascination with death. I keenly read all the literature that was then available on the subject and immersed myself in history. From the outset it was clear that despite our modern civilization we knew relatively little about the ancient Egyptians. This element of the ‘unknown’ compelled me to learn more. I begin this book, which collects the stories of the curses of the pharoahs’ tombs, by recounting a story as it was told to me as a young impressionable child.
It was on Monday 25 November 1922, in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, that archaeologists first unearthed an ancient burial tomb that had been lost for over 3,000 years. This tomb was special for it was the final resting place of the boy pharaoh, Tutankhamun. Carefully the entrance to the tomb was uncovered and the desert sands began to reveal the contents of what has been described as the greatest archaeological find of all time. Gradually, day by day, the contents of the tomb were removed, and it was during this process that strange, unaccountable incidents began to occur. The arduous task of carrying and lifting heavy objects from the tomb fell on the local Arab work force. It came as no surprise when a number fell ill – probably from exhaustion considering the cramped, hot and dusty working conditions – but it is claimed that a number of these people became violently ill, and died during the process of emptying the tomb. A short time later, it was said that two cooks who worked on the excavations were found dead, both drowned in the Nile. More incidents followed, the most high profile of which occurred in March 1923 when Lord Carnarvon, who was the financial benefactor behin
d the excavations, was allegedly bitten by a mosquito and, as a result of the illness he contracted from the poisoned septic bite, died in Cairo on 5 April 1923. A few weeks later, a nurse who had been treating Carnarvon supposedly said: ‘This is a cover up, they know the truth, the death came from the curse of the dead pharaoh, the officials are too frightened to admit it! Carnarvon told me he could see the god of the afterlife (Osiris) awaiting him and the great black jackal (Anubis) watching and waiting. He was frightened, delirious, yet he spoke of seeing these things with great lucidity.’ Within days, the press, which had been prevented from covering the precise details of the excavation because The Times had previously bought the rights to sole and bespoke coverage, had seized on this new angle on the sensational find in Egypt. Across the world news stories about the excavation of King Tutankhamun’s tomb and the so-called curse that was said to have been found in the tomb proved of immense interest to readers, to the delight of the newspaper owners who saw an increase in sales.
However, this story takes us several thousand miles from the Valley of the Kings, to Birmingham in England. Here, in 1970, it is said that the curse of Tutankhamun revealed itself. An antique collector, whose name is unknown but who has been referred to as Mark Wright or John Scott in retellings of the story, was in the city searching for items of rare jewellery that he could sell on at his London-based business. Always looking for a bargain, he visited the various markets and pawn and antique shops across Birmingham. During a trip to a market in St Martin’s Circus, he came across some ‘different’ pieces; they were clearly Egyptian and antique. What interested the buyer most was a brooch that took the form of a scarab beetle. Instinctively he knew it had considerable value and, after a bit of bartering, he bought the brooch for of £67. He put the scarab brooch into his coat pocket and began to make his way back to his hotel in Suffolk Street. During the walk he was surprised to be accosted by an old Egyptian man, who demanded the scarab brooch, saying ‘It must be returned to the sand or it will take your life’. This was Idris Fahoud, who claimed to have been at the tomb of King Tutankhamun when the King’s sarcophagus had been opened. Fahoud, like many Egyptians, was greatly upset that foreigners were seemingly permitted to plunder the graves of his country’s ancient kings and profit from the sale of these valuable historical objects. The new owner of the scarab brooch continued towards his hotel, but Fahoud followed, still pleading with him to give the scarab up.
Once inside the sanctuary of his hotel, the antique collector, who was due back in London the next day, settled his bill and packed his suitcases for an early start. But at 3.11am a blood-curdling scream was heard in the corridors of the second floor of the hotel. Guests came out of their rooms to see what was the matter; the screaming seemed to be coming from room 222. Banging on the locked door brought no response from within. Eventually, a night porter arrived with a pass key, and opened the door. Before him was a gruesome sight. The resident of the room sat upright in the bed, his face contorted in agonising pain, his eyes wide open, staring straight ahead. Blood slowly dripped from his nose. His mouth was wide open but he made no noise: it was as if he was screaming silently. The porter approached, but jumped back as a huge insect, described as the size of large human fist, clambered out of the unfortunate man’s mouth. Believing it to be dangerous, the porter moved to catch and stamp on the insect, which dropped to the floor and remained stationary. As the porter neared it, the insect vanished and was never found. An onlooker thought he saw it on top of the dead man’s suitcase, but this was the scarab brooch. The porter instructed another guest to call the police and an ambulance, and closed the room door on the other assembled guests, leaving him alone in the room with the body. Unobserved, he put the scarab brooch in his pocket.
When the police eventually arrived at the hotel, Idris Fahoud made himself known to the officers and told them that the man had in his possession a sacred scarab brooch, which was the property of the people of Egypt. Room 222 was thoroughly searched, as were the dead man’s possessions, but no scarab brooch was found. Idris Fahoud refused to believe that it could disappear, and accused the night porter of taking it. The police wouldn’t listen and told Fahoud to leave. Fahoud lay in wait until he saw the porter alone and confronted him. He called him a thief and a liar, then told him he could expect dire consequences for his theft of the scarab brooch. Two days later, the night porter was admitted to a Birmingham Accident and Emergency Unit, having swallowed a quantity of glass that was in some jam. The man’s insides were lacerated and infection had set in. He was close to death. Fahoud managed to get into the hospital to speak to him. He told the porter that he was cursed and that anyone who took or kept the brooch would be cursed too. Now, before the porter died, was the only chance to end the curse by giving the scarab brooch back to its rightful owners. The dying man told Fahoud that the brooch was gone and he did not know where. He had passed it to his daughter and instructed her to return to the market to sell it for whatever she could get for it. She had done so and it had been purchased by a dealer based in Yorkshire. The night porter died a painful death.
Eight years later, in 1978, Idris Fahoud ended his English search for Egyptian antiquities and returned to his homeland with a variety of objects which he claimed belonged to King Tutankhamun. There, he privately took them out to the Valley of the Kings and returned them to the gods and the earth. The events were later retold by Fahoud on his deathbed in a confession to a Cairo newspaper:
‘I swear that the curse will remain as long as the body of the boy king remains above the sands of Egypt. Each and every article stolen from the holy shrine of the son of God will bring death to any person who takes possession of it. My work is complete, Osiris awaits, I must go, I go to join my Lord, my task is done.’
Once I heard this story my own fate was sealed: I was hooked and wanted to learn more, not only from books but also through my own research in Egypt and beyond. I went in search of the truth and found myself embracing not only the myths and the legends, but the life the ancient Egyptians enjoyed, and death and the afterlife that followed. In December 2008, while in discussion with some local guides and academic Egyptologists on a journey down the River Nile, I was told of the existence of countless previously unrecorded incidents that have maintained real credibility with many local Egyptian scholars over the years. One man described these tomes as ‘the forgotten’ or ‘the hidden’ details, the ‘unnatural’ as opposed to the ‘supernatural’. I wanted to know more and so obtained as much detail from my Egyptian contacts as I was able. The results of the research were fascinating and form the basis of this book, although I suspect a further volume, with a more supernatural and sinister undertone, may follow. Of one thing I am certain: my quest for the truth will never be over. The curse of the pharaohs’ tombs will forever intrigue and send shivers down the spine. The ancient Egyptians were intelligent; they created and built many things that continue to defy modern-day understanding. I believe they were more advanced in many matters than we ever will be. Their world was based on belief, brought about through communication and understanding. Today, most civilisations believe in some kind of life after death, just as the ancient Egyptians did. Whether it really exists or not is a matter of opinion or religion; I do not attempt to persuade or dissuade anyone from their own belief. Whatever the truth, ancient Egyptians did all they could to provide for the soul’s well-being after death. Jewellery and other worldly riches were buried with the corpse, which itself was wrapped and mummified it so it too could be of use after death. To protect the valuable grave goods the ancient Egyptians called upon their gods and other supernatural creatures to defend tombs and their contents at all costs, to deter tomb robbers or other act of sacrilege. Thus the legends of the curse of the pharaoh’s tomb began.
Paul Harrison
January, 2017
Glossary
Aah – Aah was an ancient moon god of Egypt.
Abdu Heba – Ruler of Jerusalem and a contemporary of Akhenaten.
> Abtu-fish – A mythological fish which accompanies the Boat of Ra.
Achenaten, Akhenaten, Akhenaton, Akhnaten, Akhenaton Amenhotep IV – a New Kingdom pharaoh, 18th dynasty.
Ahmose, Amasis 1) Two pharaohs – Ahmose I, 18th dynasty and Ahmose II, 26th dynasty; 2) Ahmose-Nefertiti, Queen of the 18th Dynasty; 3) Ahmose Son of Ebana, admiral under king Ahmose I; 4) Ahmose Pen-nekhbet, high official under Ahmose I.
Aker – Aker was an ancient Egyptian earth god and the deification of the horizon.
Akhet, Shait – Season of inundation, from mid-July to mid-November in Ptolemaic times.
Akhetaten, Al Amarna, El Amarna – Capital of Akhenaten, 18th dynasty.
Akh – Occasionally translated as ‘soul’; the state in which the deceased exists in the afterlife, both immortal and unchangeable.
Akhu, akhet – The blessed dead, ancestors.
Amemt – The mythical animal which devours the hearts of the wicked at the Judgment of Osiris.
Amen, Ammon, Amon, Amun, Amoun, Amun-Re or Amen-Re – The main god during the New Kingdom, identified with Zeus by the Greeks.
Menemhab, Amenemheb Amenemhet, Amenemhat – Four pharaohs of the 12th dynasty.
Amenemope, Amenemopet – 1) Family of high New Kingdom officials; 2) Viceroy of Kush under Seti I; 3) Vizier under Amenhotep II
Amenirdis – Wife of the god (high priestess of Amen)
