The Application of Logic
There were dozens of people involved in the excavation and opening of the tomb (some estimates say 58), yet only eight died within 12 years of the discovery. If there was a Pharaoh’s curse, why was the man who discovered the tomb spared? Carter didn’t pass away for 17 years after opening the tomb and was 64 years of age, hardly young by early 20th century standards.
According to investigator James Randi, the average duration of life after exposure to the ‘curse’ was 23 years. Carnarvon’s daughter was involved and she didn’t pass away until 1980. Richard Adamson guarded the burial chamber for seven years; no European was closer to the tomb than him. He lived until 1982. Randi notes that the group died at an average age of 73, slightly above the life expectancy of their social class and time period. So if it is a curse, it is a very particular or ineffective one!
Even some of the mysterious deaths and occurrences are explainable. The issue of the cobra and the canary in Carter’s room for example. It’s likely that an Egyptian released the snake in the archaeologist’s home as an example of how the Pharaoh strikes his enemies. A mosquito bit Carnarvon, and he cut the bite when shaving. The wound became infected and resulted in his death from blood poisoning. Ingham’s house actually burned down twice after receiving a gift from Carter. This is probably a case of bad luck and nothing more.
There is potentially a scientific explanation for the death of Carnarvon. Tests on newly-opened tombs show they contain molds and pathogenic bacteria. They can cause allergic reactions and issues such as bleeding in the lungs. Air samples taken from unopened tombs showed high levels of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and formaldehyde. If exposed to substantial concentrations, you could suffer severe burning in the nose and eyes, pneumonia symptoms, and even death.
On the other hand, there is no evidence to suggest Carnarvon succumbed to ancient toxins, and there are no reports of tourists falling ill from bacteria in tombs. In any case, those who died as a result of the curse met their ends in a variety of ways.
In reality, there is no curse. Newspapers sold more copies when they included details of a supernatural, unexplainable ‘curse’ that took the lives of explorers. The notion of a mummy rising from the dead predates the discovery of Tutankhamun by several centuries. Outrageous tales like the Curse of the Pharaohs capture the imagination. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?