It has long been believed that the "Curse of the Pharaohs" can strike anyone who dares to open ancient Egyptian tombs, including the tomb of Tutankhamun. Reports circulated about the death of Lord Carnarvon, who was responsible for the expenses of the search for Tutankhamun, just five months after the tomb was opened in 1923. It was found that a mosquito bite from an infected mosquito caused his death. The American financier George Jay Gould also died from pneumonia after visiting the tomb the same year, while Archibald Douglas Reed died after taking X-rays of the mummy in London.
However, a senior archaeologist clarified that the legendary curse does not exist and that ancient germs may be responsible for the deaths. Zahi Hawass, former Egyptian Minister of State for Antiquities, told the Sun newspaper: "When there is a mummy inside a tomb, there are germs in that mummy that you cannot see. Archaeologists used to be in a hurry and rushed into the tombs, where they were infected by the germs and died." He added, "Just two weeks ago, I found a closed sarcophagus weighing 25 tons about 60 feet underground. The lid of the sarcophagus was about six tons. Two workers began to open the lid so I could insert my head and see inside. When they opened it, I left it like that for half an hour to let the foul air out and the fresh air in before I put my head in. This is the curse of the pharaohs."
Hawass explained that when the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered, exclusive rights were granted to the London Times, which left other reporters to speculate, and when Lord Carnarvon died five months after the discovery, many false stories about the curse were fabricated.
