I was reading stuff on Egypt and came across a curse of the mummies page. This has slipped my mind for so long so I was hoping that everyone could compile stories involving mummy curses. It seems like there is a lot more to this than meets the eye and it seems interesting that they might have had these mystical powers or atleast understandings of the world and maybe even the universe. well here in the link, check it out.
http://theshadowlands.net/pyramid.htm
Full Version: Curse of the Mummy
Unexplained Mysteries Discussion Forums > Unexplained Mysteries > Ancient Mysteries & Alternative History
I've got a book somewhere that theorizes that the curse of the mummy is biological warfare on the part of the builders of the pyramids. They had access to some kind of funghi and put that in the chambers. The funghi then infects those who open it and wrecks their health. It's an interesting theory, but the book has some faulty facts in it. I'll see if I can find it.
QUOTE(Northawke_rs @ Oct 4 2007, 12:29 PM) 
I've got a book somewhere that theorizes that the curse of the mummy is biological warfare on the part of the builders of the pyramids. They had access to some kind of funghi and put that in the chambers. The funghi then infects those who open it and wrecks their health. It's an interesting theory, but the book has some faulty facts in it. I'll see if I can find it.
Exactly. I too have read that they had these disease causing viruses and bacterias inside the passages inside the pyramids, so that any grave robbers will be dettered by the death of others.
It's logical that if a tomb is closed for thousands of years, that it would contain germs, microbes..I can understand when opened, these would all surface, spread and cause illness...IMO this makes more sense than a curse of the mummy, although I love reading about the supposingly different curses...
another possibility if the AE were not as super as everyone says they are is that some of them could have contracted a virus (it was africa ebola anyone) and they were mummified and buried in these tombs to protect the rest of the world from this degenerative virus and from people opening the tombs they contracted a dormant form of this virus.
Someone should check out tomb openings and compare the times to see if there were any outbreaks in the world at those certain times. Could be a great theory.
Someone should check out tomb openings and compare the times to see if there were any outbreaks in the world at those certain times. Could be a great theory.
QUOTE(Northawke_rs @ Oct 4 2007, 11:29 AM)
I've got a book somewhere that theorizes that the curse of the mummy is biological warfare on the part of the builders of the pyramids. They had access to some kind of funghi and put that in the chambers. The funghi then infects those who open it and wrecks their health. It's an interesting theory, but the book has some faulty facts in it. I'll see if I can find it.
Yes; I believe I've read that somewhere. Nothing mythical really. Just some good old fungi
I watched a programme and the mummy's curse was on that last night. The deaths they attributed to King Tuts curse went to about 25! I can't list them all because it was over in a minute.
I always wondered how can someone enter a 2,000 year-old tomb without wearing any mask or protection..?? Even a non-specialist in archeology like me knows that.
QUOTE(Dark.Nephilim @ Oct 14 2007, 05:12 PM)
I always wondered how can someone enter a 2,000 year-old tomb without wearing any mask or protection..?? Even a non-specialist in archeology like me knows that.
If you think about it though, it was nearly 80 odd years ago that Carter opened King Tuts tomb - our hygiene and knowledge about bacterial and microbes have advanced since then.
QUOTE(Regency @ Oct 14 2007, 09:25 PM)
If you think about it though, it was nearly 80 odd years ago that Carter opened King Tuts tomb - our hygiene and knowledge about bacterial and microbes have advanced since then.
It's not about knowledge, it's about common sense. Would you enter such an old tomb without any protection? Did they actually think there were no microbes or deadly bacteria in the air?
QUOTE(Dark.Nephilim @ Oct 14 2007, 07:57 PM)
It's not about knowledge, it's about common sense. Would you enter such an old tomb without any protection? Did they actually think there were no microbes or deadly bacteria in the air?
I see where you're coming from - but do you think if they DID have the knowledge, that they would've still gone in without protection?
I don't think they did know - fools, but fools in hindsight.
QUOTE(Regency @ Oct 14 2007, 11:14 PM)
I see where you're coming from - but do you think if they DID have the knowledge, that they would've still gone in without protection?
I don't think they did know - fools, but fools in hindsight.
I don't think they did know - fools, but fools in hindsight.
Yeah, you've got a point. It would have been stupid to walk into a tomb and get infected if you already know the dangers of it.
But that mostly happened in king Tut's tomb; were there any other cases of 'mummy curses' in other tombs they discovered?
...Then there are the voodoo like spells...... 
QUOTE
http://nefertiti.iwebland.com/religion/magic.htmote]
Heka: The magic of ancient Egypt
.....to me belonged the universe before you gods had come into being. You have come afterwards because I am Heka.
Coffin texts, spell 261 [2]
All religions have a magical aspect [1], ancient religions like the Egyptian, according to which all of creation was animated to some extent, perhaps more so than many others. Through magic the creation had come into being and was sustained. Thus, magic was more ancient, and consequently more powerful, than the gods themselves
I am one with Atum when he still floated alone in Nun, the waters of chaos, before any of his strength had gone into creating the cosmos. I am Atum at his most inexhaustible - the potence and potential of all that is to be. This is my magic protection and it's older and greater than all the gods together!
Book of the Dead
It was also the extraordinary means for acquiring knowledge about one's surroundings - above all the hidden parts of them - and gaining control over them. Gods, demons and the dead could be implored, cajoled or threatened. Their help could be enlisted to avert evil or achieve one's desires.
Magic was accepted by all ancient peoples as a real force.
Heka: The magic of ancient Egypt
.....to me belonged the universe before you gods had come into being. You have come afterwards because I am Heka.
Coffin texts, spell 261 [2]
All religions have a magical aspect [1], ancient religions like the Egyptian, according to which all of creation was animated to some extent, perhaps more so than many others. Through magic the creation had come into being and was sustained. Thus, magic was more ancient, and consequently more powerful, than the gods themselves
I am one with Atum when he still floated alone in Nun, the waters of chaos, before any of his strength had gone into creating the cosmos. I am Atum at his most inexhaustible - the potence and potential of all that is to be. This is my magic protection and it's older and greater than all the gods together!
Book of the Dead
It was also the extraordinary means for acquiring knowledge about one's surroundings - above all the hidden parts of them - and gaining control over them. Gods, demons and the dead could be implored, cajoled or threatened. Their help could be enlisted to avert evil or achieve one's desires.
Magic was accepted by all ancient peoples as a real force.
QUOTE(Dark.Nephilim @ Oct 14 2007, 09:30 PM)
Yeah, you've got a point. It would have been stupid to walk into a tomb and get infected if you already know the dangers of it.
But that mostly happened in king Tut's tomb; were there any other cases of 'mummy curses' in other tombs they discovered?
But that mostly happened in king Tut's tomb; were there any other cases of 'mummy curses' in other tombs they discovered?
I can't see any other Egyptian curses on wiki - though it says that the ancient Egyptians used to inscribe curses and leave them about the place (quite smart really). They did say that "Ötzi the Iceman" also had a shroud of intrigue over him as to whether he was cursed, he was a mummy frozen in the ice.
Reg
But has it been established that there are virii and fungi and bacteria that can not only survive being sealed underground for 3,500 years but still retain their full potency after that long period?
And even if they can, how would those long-ago embalmers and priests have been cognizant of that fact?
It's also worth mentioning that their were, in both ancient and modern times, entire desert villages full of tomb-robbers. They passed along the secrets of tomb-looting from parent to child, generationally.
So if the purpose of dusting the tombs with biological poisons was to wipe out tomb-robbers, it didn't work!
And even if they can, how would those long-ago embalmers and priests have been cognizant of that fact?
It's also worth mentioning that their were, in both ancient and modern times, entire desert villages full of tomb-robbers. They passed along the secrets of tomb-looting from parent to child, generationally.
So if the purpose of dusting the tombs with biological poisons was to wipe out tomb-robbers, it didn't work!
Let me add something else - when an honest and unright citizen of pharonic Egypt came upon a vandalized tomb he was not only permitted to enter it, but was fully EXPECTED to do so. It was that person's DUTY, both religious and civic, to put the tomb back into the best order possible.
Thus there are numerous added inscriptions in ancient tombs which read somewhat as follows:
"I, Sen-Mut, together with my servants, have entered this tomb and attempted to restore it to a decent state. We wrapped the mummy, which had been thrown upon the floor, in the finest Damask cloth from my own house and replaced it in its coffin, accompanied by the proper prayers. We re-sealed the door and piled rocks and foliage in front of it, hiding it as best we could."
This did not threaten a curse, but was believed to result in a blessing.
But biological poisons would have condemned the "good guys" as well as the tomb-looters.
Thus there are numerous added inscriptions in ancient tombs which read somewhat as follows:
"I, Sen-Mut, together with my servants, have entered this tomb and attempted to restore it to a decent state. We wrapped the mummy, which had been thrown upon the floor, in the finest Damask cloth from my own house and replaced it in its coffin, accompanied by the proper prayers. We re-sealed the door and piled rocks and foliage in front of it, hiding it as best we could."
This did not threaten a curse, but was believed to result in a blessing.
But biological poisons would have condemned the "good guys" as well as the tomb-looters.
hmmm good point there old time radio, the toxins would have affected anyone who entered the tomb First things first, I'm sure the Pharo's intention was to be laid to rest and not be disturbed for all eternity. This, in many cases, just wasn't so and there were tomb raiders who went into them and looted, but I assume this was more than 100 years ago, maybe hundreds of years ago - how would we know that they didn't get sick? who would own up to that and let it be documented that this was the case?
Yeah I saw this on the Discovery channel ..
If there was a mummies curse all the hundreds of tourists that enter the tomb would be cursed too ..
I don't think the Egyptians purposely put the fungi there though ..
If there was a mummies curse all the hundreds of tourists that enter the tomb would be cursed too ..
I don't think the Egyptians purposely put the fungi there though ..
QUOTE(Regency @ Oct 17 2007, 08:45 AM)
....how would we know that they didn't get sick? who would own up to that and let it be documented that this was the case?
Again, tomb robbery in both ancient and earlier modern Egypt was generational, passed on front parent to child. If the tombs were full full of poisons which wiped out the looters that couldn't have been the case.
he is out to get all who is discussing this topic except for me..who gave him a rebirth..muahahaha
in my view,those are only stories.i wont believe in such things...........................
for reading about that,it will be good only...........
for reading about that,it will be good only...........
QUOTE (coredrill @ Oct 18 2007, 04:50 AM)
he is out to get all who is discussing this topic except for me..who gave him a rebirth..muahahaha
HAHAHAHA! Cute pic. And lucky you, being immune. Better to be by his side than in his way?
I also think it is the fungus and viruses. I dont truly believe in Egyptian curses.
Around two decades back a team of Polish archaeologists opened the sarcophagus of one of the early mediaeval kings.
Within weeks all but one of these specialists were dead.
The deaths were attributed to a rare fungus which had grown within the sealed coffin.
However, nobody's suggested that the fungus was placed there on purpose.
Within weeks all but one of these specialists were dead.
The deaths were attributed to a rare fungus which had grown within the sealed coffin.
However, nobody's suggested that the fungus was placed there on purpose.
QUOTE (OldTimeRadio @ Oct 17 2007, 09:40 AM)
But has it been established that there are virii and fungi and bacteria that can not only survive being sealed underground for 3,500 years but still retain their full potency after that long period?
And even if they can, how would those long-ago embalmers and priests have been cognizant of that fact?
It's also worth mentioning that their were, in both ancient and modern times, entire desert villages full of tomb-robbers. They passed along the secrets of tomb-looting from parent to child, generationally.
So if the purpose of dusting the tombs with biological poisons was to wipe out tomb-robbers, it didn't work!
And even if they can, how would those long-ago embalmers and priests have been cognizant of that fact?
It's also worth mentioning that their were, in both ancient and modern times, entire desert villages full of tomb-robbers. They passed along the secrets of tomb-looting from parent to child, generationally.
So if the purpose of dusting the tombs with biological poisons was to wipe out tomb-robbers, it didn't work!
Like I said in my first post, there's a lot of 'facts' and assumptions in there that are shaky at best. Pyramid-builders would've used a quick-acting funghi, in my opinion, to deter any graverobbers. Would such a funghi have survived that long? And if there are funghi, perhaps it's a natural mechanism more than an artificial one. I think there might be diseases that can survive that long. But there is indeed the question whether the Egyptians would've known about this.
Unfortunately I can't find the book at the moment. It makes an interesting read, in any case.
i don't think it was intentional. as good as they were at mummifying & all that, the bodies of the dead still decay over the years. when human flesh decays, it spawns lots of nasty bacteria & germs. i think all of that just lay dorment for all those years & were released when opened.
It's possible I suppose that the ancient Egyptians knew that certain biological things did occur, in that flesh rotted and caused illness, dirty wounds got infected, the real basic things that even animals seem to know instinctively. Like, "If I leave this bit of contaminated clothing or biological material from a leper here, anyone that touches it will get sick". Beyond that I don't think they were very sophisticated.
The ancient Egyptian embalmers were masters at preventing microbial decay - a really good trick for people who didn't have a clue as to what microbes were.
They were so good, in fact, that when mummes are discovered in water-filled tombs oftentimes all you have to do is to dry them out and they're nearly as good as new and fit for museum display.
They were so good, in fact, that when mummes are discovered in water-filled tombs oftentimes all you have to do is to dry them out and they're nearly as good as new and fit for museum display.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.