Pushkin

On the 16th of February 1923, the tomb of the Faroe Tuttenkarmann was officially opened.

It was a landmark in the history of archaeology. It was also a central event in one of my favourite

cautionary tales first released in October 2021. A new episode of cautionary tales will be released

on the usual schedule, but while you wait, in honour of the centenary of the opening of the

tomb of Tuttenkarmann, I present another chance to hear the mummy's curse.

3 and a half thousand years ago, in ancient Egypt, the princess of Armanra passed away.

She was laid to rest in an exquisite wooden coffin and buried in a deep vault at Luxor,

on the banks of the mighty Nile. More than 30 centuries later, in the late 1800s,

four young English tourists, Rich Gentlemen Hall, were offered the chance to purchase a delightfully

painted mummy case. They drew lots to decide who had the right to buy the prize.

The man who won paid a small fortune and had the coffin taken to his hotel. A few hours later,

he was seen walking out onto the lone and level sands. He was never to return.

The second fellow was wounded in a hunting accident. He lost his arm. The third man lost everything

in a bank run. The fourth was struck with a severe illness, lost his job and ended his days selling

matches on street corners. The coffin case was purchased by another gentleman, his house court

fire and he quickly donated the unlucky item to the British Museum. The removal did not go smoothly.

The removal wagon lost control and hit a passerby. One workman fell and broke his leg while

carrying the casket. His colleague simply died inexplicably two days later. Night Watchman at the

museum frequently heard sobbing and hammering from inside the coffin. One died on duty.

The others refused to go near the Egyptian room where the item was stored. A visitor who treated

the exhibition with scorn soon paid the price. His child died of measles. A photographer took a

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