The mysterious deaths of those who unearthed his tomb have long been attributed to the infamous King Tut curse.
Wikimedia CommonsA close-up of King Tut’s mummified skull.
When Howard Carter peered into the sealed tomb of Tutankhamun on Nov. 26, 1922, and whispered that he saw “wonderful things,” he could not have imagined that his discovery would launch not only the greatest archaeological sensation of the century but also one of history’s most enduring supernatural legends.
Within months of breaching the pharaoh’s 3,000-year-old resting place, members of the expedition began dying under mysterious circumstances, sparking headlines about an ancient curse that would claim victims for years to come.
The “Curse of the Pharaohs” became a cultural phenomenon that blended genuine tragedy with media sensationalism, raising questions that persist to this day: Were these deaths the result of supernatural vengeance, or something far more earthly?
And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
Beginning in 1907, he financed Howard Carter's archaeological excavations in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. Public Domain
Then, in November 1922, Carter finally discovered the steps leading to Tutankhamun's tomb. Carnarvon rushed from England to Egypt, and on Nov. 26, 1922, he was present when Carter first peered into the tomb and uttered his famous words about seeing "wonderful things."
Carnarvon was one of the first people to enter the intact royal tomb in over 3,000 years — the most spectacular archaeological find of the century.Public Domain
The official cause was blood poisoning (septicemia) resulting from an infected mosquito bite on his cheek that he had accidentally reopened while shaving. He developed pneumonia and died at age 56.
His untimely death so soon after disturbing the pharaoh's tomb fueled sensational stories about a "Curse of the Pharaohs."
Newspapers reported on supposedly supernatural events that took place at the time of his death, including claims that the lights went out in Cairo the moment he died, stories that his dog howled and then died back in England, and alleged inscriptions warning of death to any who entered the tomb. Public Domain
However, Aubrey did travel to Egypt and had interests in the region. And he was present in Egypt around the time of the tomb's discovery, as he visited his half-brother there.
His death was lumped in with the curse narrative because of this coincidental timing, and the similarities to Carnarvon's death. Public Domain
Evelyn-White's story came to a tragic conclusion, however, in 1924.Public Domain
In 1917, he had been invalided out of military service, suggesting he may have been suffering from physical or psychological trauma. In 1924, a close friend died, and he hanged himself shortly after.
Before taking his own life, though, Evelyn-White allegedly left a note that read: "I have succumbed to a curse which forces me to disappear."
The connection to the Curse of the Pharaohs is obvious, but it is also possible that this "curse" may have been more of a self-fulfilling prophecy or a metaphorical reference to his own fragile psyche. Public Domain
Unlike others afflicted by the "curse," Ember was nowhere near Egypt at the time. He was friends with many members of the excavation team, including Lord Carnarvon, but his actual connection was entirely through a professional network and his friendship circle. Johns Hopkins Digital Library
But both Ember and his wife nearly survived. Public Domain
Sadly, Ember, his wife, their son, and the family's maid all died in the catastrophe.
There was a final, darkly ironic detail that captured public imagination, though: The name of Emper's manuscript was "The Egyptian Book of the Dead." For many, this was proof enough that Ember too had become a victim of the curse. Public Domain
His progression from apparent health to death was rapid, and that, combined with the inability to identify the exact cause, fueled the fire of paranormal speculation.
That said, there were some pre-existing factors that can explain his death. He had actually been suffering from one of the common causes of death among early radiographers: overexposure to radiation.
More importantly, the curse narrative gets basic facts wrong. Reid was invited to Egypt by Carter but died before he could go . He died in Switzerland seeking a cure to his ailment — so, in other words, he never actually X-rayed Tutankhamun's mummy at all. Public Domain
Breasted had a long career and fit the popular image of an Indiana Jones-like archaeologist. Daring, handsome, and charismatic, he had traveled to remote and politically unstable corners of the Middle East and helped identify the tomb of King Tut.
He was also one of the foremost scholars of his time, eventually becoming known as "the father of American Egyptology" and founding the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. Public Domain
The cobra was a known symbol of the Egyptian monarchy, appearing on pharaohs' headdresses as protective emblems. To some, this seemed like a deliberate supernatural warning.
That said, Breasted himself did not die until Dec. 2, 1935, outliving many of the other "curse victims" and dying at the respectable age of 70. It did happen right after returning from a trip to Egypt, but given that more than a decade had passed since Tut's tomb was found, the connection is fairly loose. Public Domain
This one-two punch of fire and water seemed to fulfill ancient prophecies, possibly related to a warning of "fire, water, and pestilence."
Ingham reportedly only experienced two of the three disasters, and fortunately did not die as a result of his misfortunes. Library of Congress
Shortly after their work was complete, though, Mace began to experience many health issues, his gradual decline alarming those who witnessed it. Public Domain
On April 6, 1928, he succumbed to complications from pneumonia at the age of 53.
Mace's direct involvement with the tomb and subsequent decline is often cited as one of the strongest and clearest examples of the curse taking effect, and there is some genuine evidence that conditions in the tomb may have contributed to his health declining. That said, these explanations are scientifically grounded.
Besides, Carter was the most involved member of the excavation team, and he was, ironically, not a victim of the curse — if there was a curse at all. Public Domain
The Discovery That Took The World By Storm
The story began in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, where British archaeologist Howard Carter had spent fifteen frustrating years searching for the tomb of the obscure boy-king Tutankhamun.
Financed by the wealthy Fifth Earl of Carnarvon, George Herbert, Carter's excavation had yielded little beyond mounting expenses and dwindling hope. Lord Carnarvon, who had taken up Egyptology after seeking Egypt's warm climate to recover from a serious automobile accident, was considering abandoning the project when Carter finally struck gold in November 1922.
The discovery was everything archaeologists dream of: an essentially intact royal tomb, untouched by grave robbers, filled with golden treasures and artifacts that offered an unprecedented window into ancient Egyptian royal life.
Lord Carnarvon rushed from England to be present for the opening, becoming one of the first people in over three millennia to gaze upon the pharaoh's treasures. The tomb contained over 5,000 objects, from gilded chariots to the iconic golden death mask that would become one of the most recognizable images in archaeology.
Carter, meanwhile, assembled a team of experts to carefully catalog and preserve the delicate artifacts.
Among them were Arthur Mace, an experienced archaeologist from the Metropolitan Museum who helped open the sealed chambers, and various visiting scholars and dignitaries who were granted the privilege of viewing this archaeological miracle. The discovery made international headlines, drawing visitors from around the world and establishing Tutankhamun as the most famous pharaoh in history, despite his relatively minor role in ancient Egypt's actual political landscape.
Death Comes To The Disturbers
The curse narrative began almost immediately after Lord Carnarvon's sudden death on April 5, 1923, just five months after the tomb's opening.
The Earl had been bitten by a mosquito, accidentally reopened the wound while shaving, and developed blood poisoning that progressed to pneumonia. He died in Cairo at age 56, his weakened constitution from his earlier accident unable to fight the infection. Newspapers, however, seized upon his death with sensational headlines, claiming that disturbing the pharaoh's rest had triggered supernatural revenge.
The alleged curse quickly accumulated victims.
Public DomainHoward Carter, the archaeologist who led the excavation of Tut's tomb.
Lord Carnarvon's half-brother, Aubrey Herbert, died just five months later in September 1923, also from blood poisoning following a dental procedure. American railroad magnate George Jay Gould, who had visited the tomb as Carnarvon's guest, died in May 1923 from pneumonia after reportedly falling ill shortly after his Egyptian visit. The pattern seemed undeniable: those who entered the tomb were being struck down by mysterious illnesses.
More deaths followed in subsequent years, each adding to the mythology.
Arthur Mace, who had worked directly with Carter in removing artifacts and handling the mummy itself, left Egypt in 1924 due to declining health and died in 1928 from complications of pleurisy and pneumonia at age 53. Archaeologist Hugh Evelyn-White, who had entered the mortuary chamber, hanged himself in 1924, allegedly leaving a suicide note stating, "I have succumbed to the mummy's curse." Even peripheral connections proved fatal in the public imagination: Egyptologist Aaron Ember, merely friends with expedition members, died in a 1926 house fire while trying to save his manuscript on "The Egyptian Book of the Dead."
The curse stories grew more elaborate with each retelling, too.
Sir Bruce Ingham, a friend of Carter who received a mummified hand as a paperweight, saw his house burn down and then flood during reconstruction. Radiologist Sir Archibald Douglas Reid allegedly died just three days after X-raying the mummy, though this proved to be fabricated — he actually died before ever examining it.
The media had also reported that lights went out across Cairo at the moment of Carnarvon's death, and that his dog simultaneously howled and died back in England, though neither claim was verified. In fact, as more and more people looked into the so-called curse, they would ultimately reveal exactly how much of it was fabricated.
The Scientific Reality Behind The Supernatural Claims
Modern analysis revealed that the curse was largely a creation of sensational journalism meeting unfortunate coincidence.
A 2002 study examined the 58 people present when the tomb and sarcophagus were opened, finding that only eight died within twelve years — hardly evidence of supernatural targeting. Most tellingly, Howard Carter himself, who spent more time in the tomb than anyone and handled the mummy directly, lived until 1964, dying at age 64 from natural causes.
In truth, the deaths that did occur can largely be attributed to the comparatively rudimentary medical knowledge of the 1920s.
Before the discovery of antibiotics, infections from mosquito bites, dental procedures, and minor wounds frequently proved fatal. Blood poisoning, pneumonia, and pleurisy were common killers in an era when medical science had limited tools to combat bacterial infections. Lord Carnarvon's compromised immune system from his earlier accident made him particularly vulnerable, as did Arthur Mace's progressive respiratory condition.
Public DomainHoward Carter peering into King Tut's tomb.
Some scientists have proposed that environmental hazards in the tomb itself may have contributed to respiratory illnesses.
The sealed chamber contained dust, bat droppings, and potentially toxic fungal spores like Aspergillus flavus that could have accumulated over millennia. Archaeologists working in poorly ventilated ancient tombs inhaled these irritants for hours, potentially triggering or exacerbating lung conditions. This would explain why those who spent the most time inside, like Mace, developed respiratory problems, while brief visitors remained healthy.
Occupational hazards also claimed supposed curse victims.
Sir Archibald Douglas Reid actually died from radiation poisoning, a common fate for early radiologists who worked before the dangers of X-ray exposure were understood. His profession, not Egyptian magic, killed him. Hugh Evelyn-White's suicide appears linked to depression and the psychological impact of losing friends, possibly exacerbated by the media hysteria surrounding the curse itself — a tragic case where belief in the curse may have become self-fulfilling.
The curse legend reveals more about 1920s society than ancient Egyptian supernatural power. The public was hungry for mystery and exoticism in the aftermath of World War I. Egypt represented a romantic escape, and the idea that ancient powers could reach across millennia to punish modern intruders satisfied a cultural appetite for the occult that was widespread in the era — especially as Egyptomania swept across the Western world.
Newspapers simply discovered that curse stories sold papers, and each new death — no matter how tangentially connected to the tomb — was eagerly added to the tally.
But the most damning evidence against the curse is what was never found: curse inscriptions in Tutankhamun's tomb. The dire warnings allegedly carved into the tomb walls were complete fabrications. The actual deaths, tragic as they were, fell well within normal mortality rates for the era, and the vast majority of people connected to the discovery lived long, healthy lives.
After learning about the King Tut Curse, read the stories of 13 people who fell victim to the Hope Diamond Curse. Or, read about the incredible story behind King Tut's mask.
