What Is the Truth behind the Mummy's Curse? 都是法老王诅咒搞的鬼？

For over a century, tales of Egyptian mummies seeking revenge over their disturbed tombs have excited the curiosity of people around the world. However, according to British archaeologist Dominic Montserrat, curses that protect the remains of ancient Egyptians are simply an invention of storywriters.

Montserrat has found that the idea of a curse was created 180 years ago by novelist Jane Loudon.  In 1821, Loudon got the idea for a horror novel while watching an exhibition of mummies being unwrapped in London. Her novel featured a mummy coming back to life and seeking revenge against an archaeologist.

During the late 1860s, the vengeful mummy idea evolved into the concept of the mummy’s curse, which was made popular by several American and British novelists. Another author, Marie Corelli, issued a warning after the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s (King Tut) tomb that anyone who dared enter would be severely punished.

Stories of mummy curses were widespread in the early 20th century. Some journalists even said that the Titanic sank in 1912 because an ancient Egyptian coffin was on board.  Later, in 1923, the discovery of King Tut’s tomb added new life to the legend. The unexpected death of Lord Carnarvon, who led the exploration of the tomb, propelled the curse story onto the front pages of newspapers around the world.

According to Dominic Montserrat, however, there was nothing unusual about Carnarvon’s death, since he was in poor health anyway. Moreover, almost all the 26 members of the exploration team were still alive ten years later. Some curse!

Montserrat actually sees the discovery of the tomb as beneficial to King Tut’s soul. Ancient Egyptians believed that the soul of the departed survived only as long as the name was remembered. If that is true, then the discovery of King Tut’s tomb and those of other Egyptians ensures that their souls will survive for many years to come.

100多年来，埃及木乃伊向盗墓者报复的传说激起了全世界人的好奇心。然而根据英国考古学家多米尼克·蒙瑟雷特的说法，保护古埃及人遗骸的诅咒只是小说家的一个创造。

蒙瑟雷特发现这种诅咒的构想是小说家简·劳敦在180年前创作的。1821年当劳敦在伦敦观看一个解开木乃伊裹布的展示时，便想到这个构思来写恐怖小说。她的小说表现了一个木乃伊复活并向考古学家复仇。

19世纪60年代末，木乃伊复仇的构想演变成为木乃伊诅咒的观念，并在被许多英美小说家采用后，已蔚然成风。在埃及图坦克哈门王（塔特王）的陵墓被发现后，另一位作家玛丽·柯瑞里发出警告：擅闯者将严惩不怠。

20世纪初木乃伊诅咒的故事广为流传。一些新闻记者甚至说，1912年泰坦尼克号的沉没是因为船上放置了一副古埃及棺木。之后1923年塔特王陵墓的出土也为此传说注入了新生命。率领挖掘陵墓的卡纳文勋爵的猝死，更将此诅咒传说推上全球报纸的头版。

然而根据多米尼克·蒙瑟雷特的说法，卡纳文的死并无异常之处，因为他的健康状况一直欠佳。而且10年后勘探队的26名成员几乎都还健在。这算什么诅咒﹗