Ancient Egyptian Forum

[Akhnaton]

For ages we've read about mummies possessing the power to cast spells and curses on whoever disturbs their tomb. But Howard Carter lived a full life after discovering Tut's tomb. Still, there are events that occur from time to time which go beyond the realm of conventional science and its explanations.
Does anyone here believe in mummy curses or were they just made up in ancient times to ward off tomb raiders?
Let me know
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Amarna

[Google]

[Osiris II]

Although some curses can be found on ancient tombs, put there as protection by those buried, they were (more or less) just threats of what would happen to tomb robbers.
Shortly after the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb, the out-of-proportion "Curse of the Pharaohs" circulated. Supposedly, a written curse was found (in some tellings, on a papyrus; in others, carved above the doorway).
[u]There was NO CURSE found anywhere within the tomb[/u]. A newspaper man later confessed to starting the curse story as an "added zest" to his articles. The stories reached ridiculous heights, to the point of the 93 year old father of one of the people who walked through the tomb died in London--a victim of the "curse".
For some reason, people seem to always believe in the possibility of something "supernatural" happening...

[Meresankh]

I agree with you, Osiris II. I don't believe there are curses either. I think the reason some folks believe in these curses is because of their fear of the unknown.
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[Akhnaton]

I've read some stories about how mummies have come to life the moment their tombs had been disturbed. far from Hollywood fiction, these things seem real, for the survivors have recounted the tales all too often.
Still, manufacturing a scary tale has to have some basis in reality. It's like Eric Daniken who says in his book "Chariots of the Gods" that there has to have been an ancient UFO landing which made primitive people refer to them as "Gods from the heavens".
Who knows what secrets Egypt is yet to throw up
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Amarna

[Osiris II]

I'm sorry to disagree, but I can honestly say I've NEVER heard or seen any documented proof of a mummy coming alive.
The very concept is, IMHO, utterly ridiculous!
The body has been gutted, the brain has been removed and then the body has been dried out, fully wrapped, and placed in at least one coffin.
Explain to me how that piece of dried-out flesh could "come to life"!

[Akhnaton]

On the face of it Osiris II I have to agree with what you say... but perhaps there were some powerful ancient spells that could bring the dead back to life if disturbed (in some cases at least).
Okay, let's assume that the mummies had no way whatsoever to come alive and that the "curse" theory is just mumbo-jumbo. How about the possibility of curses that can kill - the handler or one who desecrates a tomb - in a car accident? What about that kind of a curse? Hmmm?
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Amarna

[Psusennes I]

Egyptian curses may be esoteric, but they certainly formed a large and real part of the Egyptian funerary process. The tomb of the Elders of Meni at Giza, cut out in the 6th Dynasty is inscribed with a particularly famous curse. It reads:

"May the crocodile be against him in the water, and may the snake be against him on land, any man who would do harm against this [place]. Never have I trespassed against him - It is God who will judge him."
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[Akhnaton]

Thanks for the tidbit Psusennes I
I guess the mysterious when coupled with the eerie always fascinates; as is the case here
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Amarna

[Nefertari1]

Yes it does and although I do not believe in the curses, there are a lot of strange things that are unexplained I guess.
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[tnrees]

Odd things do happed - the day the woman who recorwded the first speaking clock died the second ever speaking clock which was in a museum and kept running broke down. That fits facts better than these mummy curses.

[maatkara]

[Akhnaton]

[quote="maatkara"]