The ‘Pharaoh’s curse,’ which was postulated to have claimed the lives of over twenty individuals since the opening of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, has reportedly been deciphered by a physicist.
Ross Fellowes concludes that the deaths may have had a biological cause, whereas an ancient Egyptian text threatens ‘death by a disease that no doctor can diagnose’ to anyone who disturbs royal mummified remains.
Radiation poisoning from naturally occurring elements containing uranium and intentionally introduced toxic refuse into the sealed vault was identified as the cause by the study.
Particular malignancies may have resulted from substance exposure, such as the fatal one that befell archaeologist Howard Carter over a century ago when he became the first to enter Tut’s tomb.
The theory provides compelling evidence that the tomb was, in fact, “cursed,” albeit purposefully and biologically, as opposed to the supernatural explanation put forth by some ancient Egyptologists.
Following a protracted struggle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a malignancy that affects the body’s germ-fighting immune system, Carter passed away in 1939, most likely due to a myocardial infarction; radiation exposure has been implicated in the development of this cancer.
Lord Carnarvon, who was among the companions who entered the chambers brimming with priceless artifacts, succumbed to blood poisoning five months after the revelation.
A razor slash infected a severe mosquito wound that afflicted him.
A moment after the mausoleum was unveiled, a brief power outage occurred, resulting in the complete extinguishment of illuminations across Cairo.
Additionally, the son of Carnarvon stated that his cherished canine had died after abruptly howling.
All other excavation participants passed away in their fifties from causes including asphyxiation, stroke, diabetes, heart failure, pneumonia, poisoning, malaria, and X-ray exposure.
Arthur Weigall, a British Egyptologist who was present at the tomb’s inauguration and was accused of propagating the myth of the curse, ultimately succumbed to cancer at the age of 54.
On the other hand, inscriptions discovered in other Egyptian burials indicated that the ancient civilization was cognizant of the pollutants.
The specified regions were deemed “prohibited” on account of “malevolent spirits.”
According to the study, which was published in the Journal of Scientific Exploration, elevated levels of radiation were also detected in tomb ruins from the Old Kingdom, specifically in two sites at Giza and multiple subterranean cemeteries at Saqqara.
A similar deduction was observed across the entirety of the Osiris tomb at Giza.
Fellowes observed that two stone receptacles exhibited significant radioactivity, particularly emanating from their interiors.
Professor Robert Temple observed that the coffers were constructed from basalt, which led him to conclude that they “constituted a point source of radiation in contrast to the natural trace levels (of radon) present in the surrounding limestone bedrock.”
Other research has detected radon gas in Saqqara’s tombs at various locations through direct measurement.
A byproduct of uranium decay, radon gas possesses a half-life of 3.8 days.
Within the Saqqara ruins, ambient radon concentrations were determined in six locations: the Serapeum tomb passages, the South Tomb, and the magazines of Djoser’s pyramid.
In the 1960s, thousands of containers unearthed beneath the Step Pyramid contained up to 200 tonnes of unidentified substances, which suggests that mummified remains may have been entombed with toxins.
Fellowes stated, “Strong radiation (such as radon) detected in tomb ruins has been ad hocly attributed to the natural background emanating from the parent bedrock.”
‘Notwithstanding this, the elevated and localised concentrations deviate from the attributes of the limestone bedrock, suggesting the presence of an extraterrestrial origin.’
Carter’s party discovered the entrance to Tutankhamun’s tomb on November 4, 1922, and cataloged the antechamber for several months.
In February of the following year, the excavation crew discovered the sarcophagus after opening the interment chamber.
As one of the most opulent tombs ever unearthed, it was adorned with invaluable artifacts that were intended to facilitate the juvenile Pharaoh’s transition to the afterlife.
The 5,000-item hoard of grave goods comprised solid gold funeral shoes, statues, diversions, and peculiar animals.
Due to Tutankhamun’s significance in Egyptian history, the diminutive dimensions of his funerary chamber have perplexed scholars for years.
It took Carter and his team a decade to extract the tomb’s valuables.
Boy Monarch was an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled from 1332 to 1323 BC during the 18th dynasty.
At the age of nine or ten, he ascended to the throne as the progeny of Akhenaten.
Tut wed Ankhesenpaaten, his half-sister, upon ascending to the throne.
The circumstances surrounding his demise, which occurred around the age of 18, remain unknown.
On the contrary, the young monarch endured numerous health complications as a result of his parents’ identical sibling status.
A reconstruction of his face and physique provided insight into the illnesses he might have suffered from.
King Tut possessed girlish hips, clubfoot, and buck teeth, according to the most comprehensive analysis of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh’s remains to date.
During his reign in the fourteenth century BC, Tut did not use walking sticks to get around, according to researchers, as opposed to being a young monarch who enjoyed chariot racing.
The genetic analysis of Tutankhamun’s family, which provides support for the notion that his parents were akin, was conducted concurrently with a “virtual autopsy” consisting of over 2,000 computer scans.
The scientists hypothesize that this resulted in hormonal imbalances that precipitated his physical impairments. In addition, his family history may have contributed to his untimely demise during his late entries.
“Unlock your financial potential with free Webull shares in the UK.”
His skeleton, including fractures discovered in his cranium, has engendered diverse legends that ascribe his demise to a chariot accident or homicide.
Scientists have recently speculated that King Tut may have passed away from an inherited disease, as only one of the fractures transpired before his demise and his club foot would have rendered chariot racing unfeasible.
According to Hutan Ashrafian, a lecturer in surgery at Imperial College London, several family members appeared to have experienced conditions that could be accounted for as hormonal imbalances.
An additional indication of King Tut’s physical limitations was provided by the discovery of 130 used walking canes in his tomb.
