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News.com.au
6 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Inside the deadly curse of King Tut's tomb
The curse of King Tut's tomb is back – with a twist. Tutankhamun was a minor Egyptian pharaoh. The Boy King left barely a mark on history's page and even that was expunged by his political opponents – until his fabulously wealthy tomb was discovered in 1922. Aspergillus flavus is a common toxic fungus. It rises out of soil to spoil farm produce. It clings to indoor surfaces. However, a recent discovery has revealed a wealth of medical potential. Both the pharaoh and the mould, however, have a serious blemish to their reputation. And that's because of wild speculation surrounding the deaths of those who unsealed his sepulchre. Did a spiritual spell lay dormant for 3243 years, only to be triggered when British archaeologist Howard Carter broke the seal to see 'wonderful things'? Or was, as those seeking a more earthly explanation believed, a malicious mould lurking in the shadows – ready to wreak havoc among all those who dared disturb its rest? Both, it turns out, have been falsely accused. Now, just as the treasures of Tutankhamun have enlightened millions to the wonders of the ancient world, Aspergillus flavus may be on the brink of being redeemed. Scientists probing its long-neglected properties have discovered it could ultimately help save the lives of millions of leukaemia sufferers. A roaring 20s conspiracy theory It was a fascinating concept: An ancient curse wreaking havoc in defence of the dead. The story swept through a world still struggling to come to grips with the industrial-scale massacre of World War I. ' The story of a young man with a family who had died before his time resonated with many,' argues Egyptologist Claire Gilmour. 'Tutankhamun was a burst of glorious colour in a dark time, which came with the extra draw of the mysteries of the tomb and eternal life.' Everybody involved in the discovery and excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb was an instant celebrity. There was the mystery Boy King. The vindication of a persistent archaeologist. The playboy financier from Britain's landed gentry. Then, several months after the discovery, Lord Carnarvon died in Cairo at the age of 56. And the lights of that exotic city winked out. Famous Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle leapt on the seeds of inspiration: He told US media that 'an evil elemental' enslaved by ancient Egyptian priests to guard King Tut's remains could have been behind the Earl's demise. That triggered a swarm of speculation. And, as more associated with the tomb's opening (no matter how remotely) died, the frenzy grew. Prince Ali Kamel Fahmy Bey of Egypt was shot dead in 1923 by his French wife at the swanky Savoy Hotel in London. Sir Archibald Douglas Reid, 53, died from an unknown illness in 1924. The experimental radiologist is believed to have X-ray Tut's mummified remains days earlier. British colonial politician Sir Lee Stack was assassinated in Cairo in 1924. Excavator Arthur Mace died of arsenic poisoning in 1928. And Carnarvon's secretary, Richard Bethell, was smothered to death in his bed in 1929. Howard Carter dismissed talk of a curse as 'Tommy rot'. He argued only a handful of the hundreds associated with his work had died. And that was bound to happen anyway as the decades passed. Carter himself died in London in 1939 at the age of 64. He had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease – a cancer that attacks the immune system. Cut from the same mould Tombs are not healthy places. Depending on their environment, they can host a full spectrum of bacteria – including toxic Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus. Airtight containers, including sarcophagi, could release toxic fumes such as ammonia, formaldehyde, and hydrogen sulphide. Laboratory tests have also confirmed mummified Egyptian remains can carry mould. Two types, in particular, have been detected: Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. Both are toxic. Allergic reactions include respiratory congestion and bleeding in the lungs. '(Aspergillus flavus) is infamous for its ability to survive in harsh environments, including the sealed chambers of ancient tombs, where it can lie dormant for thousands of years,' argues biomedical scientist Professor Justin Stebbing. Its spores are particularly damaging among people with weakened immune systems. 'This may explain the so-called 'curse' of King Tutankhamun and similar incidents, such as the deaths of several scientists who entered the tomb of Casimir IV in Poland in the 1970s,' the Professor adds. 'In both cases, investigations later found that A-flavus was present, and its toxins were probably responsible for the illnesses and deaths.' American railroad executive and financier George Gould fell sick immediately after visiting the Valley of the Kings excavation. He died of pneumonia a few months later. Was Gould a victim of a villainous mould that the medical journal The Lancet dubbed ' Pharaoh's Curse '? Despite being tried, convicted and sentenced, Aspergillus flavus has been given a chance to redeem its reputation. University of Pennsylvania researchers have discovered the fungus produces a unique type of molecule with the potential to fight cancer. 'Experiments revealed that asperigimycins probably disrupt the process of cell division in cancer cells,' Professor Stebbing explains. 'Cancer cells divide uncontrollably, and these compounds appear to block the formation of microtubules, the scaffolding inside cells that are essential for cell division.' These initial tests have so far proven the fungus-derived treatment is at least as effective as existing leukaemia-treating drugs. ' Fungi gave us penicillin,' the study's lead author, Sherry Gao, said in a press statement. 'These results show that many more medicines derived from natural products remain to be found.' Guilty, until proven innocent 'The oft-quoted curse 'Death will come on swift wings to him who disturbs the peace of the king' does not actually appear anywhere in (Tut's) tomb,' University of Bristol archaeologist Gilmour points out. 'There are real ancient Egyptian curses, but this was not one. Tutankhamun's curse stemmed from a media battle for readership.' Among the harshest curses found inside Tut's tomb was 'may he walk over his enemies'… stamped into the soles of his slippers. 'Research since has thoroughly debunked the idea that those present at the opening met an untimely end,' Gilmour adds. 'Only a handful of people who were there at the opening died within the next decade and Howard Carter, who would have been a primary target for a curse, died in 1939.' And Carter was partly to blame for the myth that grew to overwhelm his work. Amid the chaos and excitement of the discovery, he reportedly encouraged the idea of a curse as a means of scaring away aspiring pillagers and over-enthusiastic tourists. Then there's Lord Carnarvon. He only became a sponsor of archaeology after a high-speed car accident in 1901 compressed his lungs. The critically ill 5th Earl was advised to seek warmer weather. But that didn't protect him from blood poisoning after a cut became infected among Cairo's less than sanitary conditions (and frequent power failures). Princess Marguerite Alibert was exonerated for the murder of her husband on the basis of domestic abuse. Sir Reid had been working with poorly understood radiological material. Sir Stack was killed in a political dispute. And the deaths of Mace and Bethell had mundane – if perhaps murderous – explanations. The early 2000s attribution of blame on Aspergillus flavus also generated a media frenzy. But is 'Pharaoh's Curse' an unwarranted reputation? 'Upper Egypt in the 1920s was hardly what you'd call sanitary,' Dr DeWolfe Miller, Professor of epidemiology, told National Geographic in 2005. 'The idea that an underground tomb, after 3000 years, would have some kind of bizarre microorganism in it that's going to kill somebody six weeks later and make it look exactly like (blood poisoning) is very hard to believe.' Professor Miller concluded: 'I take the position that Howard Carter took before me. 'Given the sanitary conditions of the time in general, and those within Egypt in particular, Lord Carnarvon would likely have been safer in the tomb than outside.' And Aspergillus flavus – found almost everywhere grain is stored – may not be the villain it is made out to be 'The discovery of asperigimycins is a reminder that even the most unlikely sources – such as a toxic tomb fungus – can hold the key to revolutionary new treatments,' Professor Stebbing concludes. 'As researchers continue to explore the hidden world of fungi, who knows what other medical breakthroughs may lie just beneath the surface?'
News.com.au
28-07-2025
- Science
- News.com.au
New technology uncovers hidden details of Egypt's 2,300-year-old 'untouchable' mummy
Modern technology has helped shed further light on an Ancient Egyptian mystery after spending millennia under wraps. The Bashiri Mummy, also known as the 'untouchable one', has long remained unravelled – as researchers have feared causing damage to the intricately wrapped fabric. It is believed by some sources that Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered this mummy in the Valley of the Kings, The Sun reports. This is the same area he would famously go on to uncover King Tutankhamun's tomb. But according to Discover magazine, the most that is known for sure is that the 'untouchable one' was found, but that no researchers have dared attempt to unfurl its cloth. Prior to the invention of X-ray and CT scanners, people would unwrap these ancient mummies to study them – causing severe damage. New technology has lessened the need for such methods of study, allowing researchers to learn more about ancient artefacts while inflicting less harm on them. It brings them one step closer to understanding the mysteries of the Bashiri Mummy. The untouchable one's face wrappings are said to be unique, featuring a pattern resembling the base of a pyramid. According to the American Museum of Natural History, 'In the past, the only way to learn about a mummy was to unwrap it. 'But this widespread practice destroyed the mummy, often detaching body parts." Scans have now revealed fresh details about the mummy. Researchers have established that the Bashiri Mummy would have been an adult man who stood about 5.5 feet (1.7 metres) tall. He would have lived in the Ptolemaic Era – which spanned from 305BC to 30BC. This makes the mummy around a staggering 2,300 years old. The X-ray scan also showed an inscription of the man's name, according to the Egypt Museum. However, it is not fully clear if Pacheri or Nenu are written, leaving some mysteries around the mummy still unresolved. The museum added that the mummy's encasement was decorated with 'various scenes arranged in registers, notably the mummy lying on a bed, surrounded by the goddesses Isis and Nephtys, and the four sons of Horus.' 'Finally, the casing around the feet has two images of the funerary god Anubis,' it adds. It is not the only incredible discovery of the Ancient World unveiled in recent weeks. A network of dimly lit tunnels under Rome's Capitoline Hill could soon become the city's latest tourist hot spot. The secret underground city covers some 42,000 square feet (3,902 square metres) under the Ancient Roman Forum – and reaches depths of 985 feet (300 metres) below the surface. It is expected to be open for visitors from late 2026 or early 2027, CNN has reported.
The Sun
27-07-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Mysteries of 2,300-year-old mummy Bashiri ‘The Untouchable' revealed after researchers refused to unwrap ancient fabric
MODERN technology has helped shed further light on an Ancient Egyptian mystery after spending millennia under wraps. The Bashiri Mummy, also known as the "untouchable one", has long remained unravelled - as researchers have feared causing damage to the intricately wrapped fabric. 5 5 5 It is believed by some sources that Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered this mummy in the Valley of the Kings. This is the same area he would famously go on to uncover King Tutankhamun's tomb. But according to Discover magazine, the most that is known for sure is that the "untouchable one" was found, but that no researchers have dared attempt to unfurl its cloth. Prior to the invention of X-ray and CT scanners, people would unwrap these ancient mummies to study them - causing severe damage. New technology has lessened the need for such methods of study, allowing researchers to learn more about ancient artefacts while inflicting less harm on them. It brings them one step closer to understanding the mysteries of the Bashiri Mummy. The untouchable one's face wrappings are said to be unique, featuring a pattern resembling the base of a pyramid. According to the American Museum of Natural History, "In the past, the only way to learn about a mummy was to unwrap it. "But this widespread practice destroyed the mummy, often detaching body parts." Scans have now revealed fresh details about the mummy. Researchers have established that the Bashiri Mummy would have been an adult man who stood about 5.5 feet tall. He would have lived in the Ptolemaic Era - which spanned from 305 BC to 30 BC. This makes the mummy around a staggering 2,300 years old. The X-ray scan also showed an inscription of the man's name, according to the Egypt Museum. However, it is not fully clear if Pacheri or Nenu are written, leaving some mysteries around the mummy still unresolved. The museum added that the mummy's encasement was decorated with "various scenes arranged in registers, notably the mummy lying on a bed, surrounded by the goddesses Isis and Nephtys, and the four sons of Horus." "Finally, the casing around the feet has two images of the funerary god Anubis," it adds. It is not the only incredible discovery of the Ancient World unveiled in recent weeks. A network of dimly lit tunnels under Rome's Capitoline Hill could soon become the city's latest tourist hot spot. The secret underground city covers some 42,000 square feet under the Ancient Roman Forum - and reaches depths of 985 feet below the surface. It is expected to be open for visitors from late 2026 or early 2027, CNN has reported. 5 5
Travel Weekly
28-06-2025
- Travel Weekly
Exploring Egypt's timeless wonders with AmaWaterways
Entering one of the 65 known tombs in Egypt's Valley of the Kings is a little spooky, a little claustrophobic -- and way cool. Tunneled for hundreds of feet into desert limestone by hand, the 3,000-year-old tombs are a gift from antiquity. Highly decorated passages quarried into the limestone lead to a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst Down, down we go, our group on excursion from AmaWaterways' AmaLilia, the line's newest Nile riverboat. The colors on the walls are amazingly vivid, sealed for millennia underground in one of the most arid climates in the world. We pass images of vultures and cobras protecting the pharaoh buried within. Hieroglyphics cover every surface, baffling to all but the experts. One of the smaller tombs is that of the famous King Tutankhamen, a mere 28 feet below ground. The nearly intact chambers, uncovered in 1922, were filled with 5,398 funerary items, many of solid gold. Such are the rewards of a cruise up the world's longest river. At every turn, guests can see the grand stone monuments produced by a civilization that existed 4,500 years before Columbus sailed for America. Our eight-day cruise hit many highlights: the extensive temples at Karnak and Luxor; the colossal statues of Ramses II guarding Abu Simbel; and perhaps the most iconic icon of them all, the Great Pyramid of Giza. Unlike for some on our trip, the Nile was not on my bucket list of travel destinations. But I would be the poorer for not having seen it, and I would call this sailing a prime example of "the thinking person's cruise," as one cruise executive has dubbed river voyages. The Philae Temple was dismantled and relocated after its original island location was flooded by construction of the Aswan High Dam. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst Seeing Egypt by water has several advantages. Uniquely, almost every can't-miss site in Egypt is concentrated along the Nile's banks. Moving from temple to temple by ship is easier and safer than traveling the Egyptian highways. Breezes off the water can cool temperatures that reached 110 degrees on several days of our mid-April cruise. Not to be overlooked is the sailing itself. Each morning, I'd greet the placid greenish river as we motored quietly along a shoreline of marsh grasses, date palms, low mud-brick compounds and minarets. The meandering channel took us first close to one bank, then the other, and then past islands where seemingly endless rows of banana trees are cultivated beneath perpetually blue skies. Waterfowl and small green and blue wooden boats rowed by local fishermen animated the surface. Now and then we'd pass a cement embankment, a clustered village, a pump station or a factory, but mostly it is a bucolic scene, both timeless and Old Testament familiar. The ancient temple at Abu Simbel in southern Egypt features four 70 foot tall statues of Ramses II. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst But perhaps the top benefit we enjoyed was the expertise of our two Egyptologists, Marwa Abbas and Randa Abdel Wahab, who sailed with us and without whom we would have no clue about what we were seeing. I think that Wahab's cry of "yalla, yalla," (let's go!) after each viewing pause may be my most enduring memory from the cruise. Our group was mostly couples in their 60s and older, about half Canadian, half American with a few Australians in the mix. The ship carries 82 passengers on four decks with two restaurants, a lounge, a small gym, a massage room, hair salon and a shaded sundeck with a pool. I was able to tour the AmaLilia's sister ship, the AmaDahlia, while in Luxor and found the AmaLilia to be a little brighter and more contemporary, and its dinner-only Chef's Table restaurant is mostly enclosed rather than outdoors. It is one of the newest of about 180 ships of similar design on the Nile, most sailing for brands unknown in North America, the AmaLilia's hotel director told me. The itinerary begins with a three-night stay in Cairo (at the St. Regis Cairo), which affords a day at Giza (including a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum); a day visiting Saladin's massive Citadel and the older Egyptian Museum where King Tut's treasures are stored; and a fascinating half day in Coptic Cairo seeing Roman-era churches and a synagogue. The Temple of Luxor was one of the most venerated sites in ancient Egypt. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst After a flight to Luxor, guests have seven days on the water before a final afternoon in Cairo, which we used to experience the chaos of the sprawling Khan el-Khalili street market. Except for that self-led excursion, we had a discretely armed security officer everywhere we went. Food onboard the ship is about half Egyptian, half Western, paired with Egyptian wines. I didn't love every Egyptian item I tried but found at least half of it to be really good; a sauced pasta-and-chickpeas dish surprised me with its flavor. The crew is eager to show off their national cuisine. Evening entertainment included a screening of the 1978 film "Death on the Nile," a troupe of Nubian dancers and a hilarious contest in which guests were mummified in toilet paper. Ama did a great job with transfers, providing a VIP passage through customs/passport control on the front end and a similar shepherding on the back end for a 4:45 a.m. flight home.
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Unravelling the mystery of Egypt's forgotten FEMALE Pharaoh: Scientists reconstruct the shattered visage of Queen Hatshepsut
Of all of ancient Egypt 's pharaohs, Hatshepsut is perhaps the most unfairly overlooked. An early pioneer of 'girl power', as a young woman she made the unusual move of crowning herself king and co-ruled Egypt for about 20 years. By the time of her death in 1458 BC, Hatshepsut had presided over her kingdom's most peaceful and prosperous period in generations. According to legend, evidence of her success was soon erased or reassigned to her male forbears – with her statues shattered and destroyed. But a new study now suggests that Hatshepsut was not quite as hated among her male successors as history has made out. An expert at the University of Toronto thinks statues of Hatshepsut – who was king and queen at the same time – were only destroyed so their materials could be reused. 'Hatshepsut was a prolific builder of monuments, and her reign saw great innovations in the artistic realm,' Jun Yi Wong, an Egyptologist at the University of Toronto, told MailOnline. 'My research indicates that a large proportion of the destruction to Hatshepsut's statues was actually caused by the reuse of these statues as raw material.' Hatshepsut ruled Egypt during the Eighteenth Dynasty, which is considered one of the most prosperous and powerful periods in ancient Egyptian history. Her remains were found in Egypt's Valley of the Kings in 1930, although they were not formally identified until 2007. Despite her successful reign lasting two decades, history has largely forgotten Queen Hatshepsut, who was a powerful woman in a man's world. Many monuments of her were destroyed, so images of her represented as a woman are extremely rare. But during the 1920s, excavations at the archaeological site of Deir el-Bahri in Luxor, Egypt found many fragmented statues of Hatshepsut. In the century since, this damage has traditionally been seen as a violent act carried out by her nephew and successor, Thutmose III. However, according to Dr Wong, many of the statues actually survived in relatively good condition, with their faces virtually intact. This challenges the idea that the destruction was motivated by Thutmose III's animosity towards Hatshepsut. To determine the true motivation behind the destruction of those that were found in fragments, Dr Wong examined unpublished field notes, drawings, photos and correspondences from the excavations in the 1920s. Who was Hatshepsut? Hatshepsut (c. 1505–1458 BC) was the sixth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. The daughter of Thutmose I, she became queen of Egypt when she married her half-brother, Thutmose II, when they were in their early teens. After Thutmose II's death, Hatshepsut initially acted as regent for his young son, Thutmose III, before eventually declaring herself pharaoh and co-ruling Egypt with him. By the time of her death in 1458 BC, Hatshepsut had presided over her kingdom's most peaceful and prosperous period in generations. His findings, published in Antiquity, indicate that many of the statues sustained damage that was done in a specific, methodical way – not caused by Thutmose III. Rather than being smashed haphazardly as if in anger, analysis suggested they were broken across their weak points – the neck, waist and knees. Many of the strategically broken-up statues were reused in later periods as building materials and tools. The historic practice, known as 'deactivation', was intended to neutralise any perceived worship or reverence towards a pharaoh that no longer reigns or exists. As he explains, damage to the statues took place largely as a result of their 'ritual deactivation' and subsequent reuse rather than malicious destruction. 'In other words, this treatment does not necessarily denote hostility towards the depicted individual,' said Dr Wong. As a result, we can assume Hatshepsut was treated in death more like her male predecessors than previously thought However, Dr Wong does acknowledge that there was the campaign of persecution against Hatshepsut – and it's possible at least some of this destruction was intended to damage Hatshepsut's legacy. 'Unlike the other rulers, Hatshepsut did suffer a programme of persecution, and its wider political implications cannot be overstated,' he said. 'Yet, there is room for a more nuanced understanding of Thutmose III's actions, which were perhaps driven by ritual necessity rather than outright antipathy.' American egyptologist and author Kara Cooney has called Hatshepsut 'the most formidable and successful woman to ever rule in the Western ancient world'. The only daughter of Thutmose I, one of ancient Egypt's most successful warrior kings, Hatshepsut attained unprecedented power for a woman. She was born into a society in which the crown was passed from father to son and royal children were expected to marry their siblings. In an unprecedented move, Hatshepsut assumed the title of king and exercised the full powers of the throne as senior co-ruler with Thutmose. She changed her name from the female version Hatshepsut – which means Foremost of the Noble Ladies – to the male version, Hatshepsu. To cement her position as the first female ruler, she donned the traditional clothes, head-dress and even the false beard traditionally worn by male pharaohs of Egypt. She made a name for herself due to being a female pharaoh, but also expanding trade, commissioning many building projects and largely keeping peace. She is thought to have reigned with little opposition for more than two decades before dying, said to be from bone cancer, in around 1458 BC. WHAT IS EGYPT'S VALLEY OF THE KINGS? The Valley of the Kings in upper Egypt is one of the country's main tourist attractions and is the famous burial ground of many deceased pharaohs. It is located near the ancient city of Luxor on the banks of the river Nile in eastern Egypt - 300 miles (500km) away from the pyramids of Giza, near Cairo. The majority of the pharaohs of the 18th to 20th dynasties, who ruled from 1550 to 1069 BC, rested in the tombs which were cut into the local rock. The royal tombs are decorated with scenes from Egyptian mythology and give clues as to the beliefs and funerary rituals of the period. Almost all of the tombs were opened and looted centuries ago, but the sites still give an idea of the opulence and power of the Pharaohs. The most famous pharaoh at the site is Tutankhamun, whose tomb was discovered in 1922. Preserved to this day, in the tomb are original decorations of sacred imagery from, among others, the Book of Gates or the Book of Caverns. These are among the most important funeral texts found on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs.
