Zahi Hawass recalled that as a young archaeologist excavating at Kom Abu Billo he had to transport several artifacts from the Greco-Roman site. The traveler was alarmed by recurring visions of two specters, and the stormy seas did not abate until the mummies were thrown overboard. In 1699, Louis Penicher wrote an account in which he recorded how a Polish traveler bought two mummies in Alexandria and embarked on a sea journey with the mummies in the cargo hold. Hieroglyphs were not deciphered until the early 19th century, so reports of curses before this are simply perceived bad luck associated with the handling of mummies and other artifacts from tombs. They that shall break the seal of this tomb shall meet death by a disease that no doctor can diagnose." Modern accounts Zahi Hawass quotes an example of a curse: "Cursed be those who disturb the rest of a Pharaoh. Ĭurses after the Old Kingdom era are less common though more severe, sometimes invoking the ire of Thoth or the destruction of Sekhemet. I shall cast the fear of myself into him". The tomb of Khentika Ikhekhi (9–10th dynasty) contains an inscription: "As for all men who shall enter this my tomb. may Hemen () not accept any goods he offers, and may his heir not inherit". shall do evil or wickedness to this coffin. The tomb of Ankhtifi (9–10th dynasty) contains the warning: "any ruler who. They most frequently occur in private tombs of the Old Kingdom era. Ĭurses relating to tombs are extremely rare, possibly because the idea of such desecration was unthinkable and even dangerous to record in writing. Redford viewed it as "unadulterated claptrap". The evidence for curses relating to Tutankhamun is considered to be so meager that Donald B. Despite popular misconceptions, no curse was found inscribed in the Pharaoh's tomb. There had been stories of curses going back to the 19th century, but they multiplied after Howard Carter's discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. These appear to be directed towards the ka priests to protect the tomb carefully and preserve its ritual purity rather than as a warning for potential robbers.
There are occasional instances of genuine ancient curses appearing inside or on the façade of a tomb, as in the case of the mastaba of Khentika Ikhekhi of the 6th Dynasty at Saqqara. However, the modern origins of Egyptian mummy curse tales, their development primarily in European cultures, the shift from magic to science to explain curses, and their changing uses-from condemning disturbance of the dead to entertaining horror film audiences-suggest that Egyptian curses are primarily a cultural, not scientific, phenomenon. Since the mid-20th century, many authors and documentaries have argued that the curse is 'real' in the sense of having scientifically explicable causes such as bacteria or radiation. This curse, which does not differentiate between thieves and archaeologists, is claimed to cause bad luck, illness, or death. The curse of the pharaohs or the mummy's curse is a curse alleged to be cast upon anyone who disturbs the mummy of an ancient Egyptian, especially a pharaoh. “Macquarie Street is part of the very foundations of modern Sydney and these historical spaces should be celebrated and enjoyed not locked away and hidden from view,” he said.The Royal Cobra ( Uraeus), representing the protector goddess Wadjet, atop the mask of Tutankhamun.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the transformation of the southern end of the street would create a vibrant cultural destination by day and night, and showcase attractions such as The Mint, Hyde Park Barracks and The Domain. It will also commit $119 million to revamp Macquarie Street and surrounds – including an “iconic” public plaza between the Sydney CBD and The Domain.Īs part of the project, the heritage-listed Registrar General’s Building will be repurposed and the government will consider turning it into a museum in line with the recommendation of a review conducted last year by former prime minister Paul Keating and former lord mayor Lucy Turnbull. Tuesday’s state budget will allocate $40 million over four years to bring new international cultural attractions to Sydney’s museums and galleries and to develop homegrown blockbusters for overseas audiences.