On this day in 1923, deep within the Valley of Kings, a discovery was made that revived a lost empire.
During an excavation backed by the Earl of Carnarvon, archaeologist Howard Carter came upon a tomb untouched by either time or robbers. This, as soon it became evident, was the tomb of Tutankhamen— or, “King Tut,” as he later became known. Although his cause of death is debated, it is agreed that Tut died unexpectedly around the age of 18. Upon entering, Carter and his team found themselves surrounded by over 5,000 priceless artifacts, including the iconic golden funerary mask, amulets, thrones, shields, and Tutankhamen’s mummified corpse. Debris from other tombs’ construction had concealed the area for more than 3,300 years, protecting Tut and his treasure from robbers and decay.
When Carter went public with his discovery, the response was nothing less than explosive. It kicked off a phenomenon coined “Tutmania,” in which the West became obsessed with Egypt and Egyptian culture. Tourism also reached a fever pitch, with crowds attempting to enter Tut’s tomb, leading to an increase in damage to the artifacts as well as theft.
As is typical with frenzies, superstition began to creep into public consciousness. Six weeks following the tomb’s opening, the excavation’s patron, Earl George Herbert of Carnarvon, died of an infection. Instantly, whispers of a “mummy’s curse” began to circulate. Howard Carter, however, was staunchly skeptical of the alleged curse. He went on to live until 1939, when he died in his home at the age of 64. Although his death was not premature or mysterious, some viewed it as a fulfillment of Tutankhamun’s hex. Like cobras, curses strike suddenly, but they also lie in wait, unseen until the fateful moment.
In May 1926, Carter reported in his diary that he’d seen a jackal. In nearly 35 years of field work, one had never been glimpsed by Carter. Yet it was not the animal itself that unsettled him— he knew well that Anubis, guardian of the dead, bore the head of a jackal and watched through its eyes.
