Curse of the pharaohs
Meaning
The belief that disturbing ancient Egyptian mummies or tombs will bring misfortune, illness, or death upon those involved.
Origin
The chilling legend of the pharaohs' curse truly took hold after the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, a marvel unearthed by Howard Carter and funded by Lord Carnarvon. Just months after penetrating the pharaoh's resting place, Carnarvon tragically died from an infected mosquito bite, a seemingly mundane cause that newspapers sensationally transformed into a supernatural reckoning. The press, hungry for drama, quickly wove a narrative of a vengeful curse protecting the ancient king, linking every subsequent mishap, however minor, to the pharaoh's wrath. This dramatic framing captivated a public fascinated by ancient Egypt, cementing the 'curse of the pharaohs' as a potent symbol of supernatural retribution for disturbing the dead.
Examples
- After the expedition unearthed the tomb, strange ailments began to plague the archaeologists, leading some to whisper about the curse of the pharaohs.
- She scoffed at the idea of supernatural retribution, but her sudden string of bad luck after buying that antique Egyptian artifact made her briefly wonder if it was the curse of the pharaohs.