An archaeologist revealed the essence of the “curse of the pharaohs”, because of which dozens of people died (6 photos)

One of the world's leading archaeologists has revealed the true cause of the pharaoh's curse, which allegedly led to the death of dozens of people after opening the tomb. It turns out there is simple science behind the “curse.”





People started talking about the mysterious curse after the opening of the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun in the 1920s. It was believed that anyone who disturbed the 3,300-year-old tomb would be doomed to death. Dozens of people who were the first to visit Tutankhamun's tomb died under various circumstances: including Lord Carnarvon, who financed the excavations, as well as the American financier George Jay Gould I. At the time, many considered this mystical - but as it turned out, there may be a stand scientific reason.



Egyptologist and historian Zahi Hawass said that no curse actually exists. He explained the series of deaths quite simply:

“When a mummy is inside a tomb, there are microbes on it, which, of course, no one sees. In the past, archaeologists opened tombs in a hurry, they were affected by microbes, and they died,” said the Egyptologist.





The scientist explained that in modern times archaeologists are more careful when opening tombs. Before examining them, they let them “air out”:

“Two weeks ago, for example, I found a sealed sarcophagus weighing 25 tons at a depth of 18 meters underground. The lid of the sarcophagus weighed about six tons. Before examining it, we left it open for half an hour so that all the air could escape. Then I calmly I looked inside and nothing happened to me. That's all the curse of the pharaohs," says Zahi Hawass.