The Curse of King Tut

Netzley, Patricia D. The Curse of King Tut. Part of the Mystery Library series. 2000. 96p. ISBN 978-1-56006-684-9. Available at 932 NET on the library shelves.

One of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century was the unearthing of Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of Kings. Long forgotten, the boy king’s tomb is located in an area filled with the tombs of rulers and nobles of Ancient Egypt,but all of these burials sites have been plundered over the last four thousand years. Tutankhamen’s last resting place, however, was forgotten by history and by plunderers and contained objects and murals that helped understand an entire period in history.

Born to King Amenhotep IV, Tutankhamen ascended the throne early in his life following a period of decline and neglect. Though young, he set forth to create reforms and to return Egypt to its former glory. But Tut died young, most likely murdered by his advisors. He was given the proper burial rights and he was laid to rest in a tomb. All aspects of his life were erased from Egyptian records, and he soon was forgotten.

When Howard Carter began looking for tombs in Egypt in the 1920s, he was convinced that the few references to Tut found in old records indicated that there was a tomb that had not been found. He led an expedition that explored the Valley of Kings and eventually located King Tut’s tomb buried under dozens of feet of dirt. But soon, people related to the expedition began to die, and the curse of King Tut was born.

This fascinating book presents information on the expedition that discovered King Tut’s tomb. It describes Egyptian burial rituals, and reviews the King’s history. Several possible explanations for the curse are explored, from fungus to deadly gases and mosquito bites, but ultimately there appears to be no link between the many victims aside from their participation or exposure to members of King Tut’s expedition. Is there a curse? Read this book and reach your own conclusion.

Nubian Kingdoms

Russann, Edna. Nubian Kingdoms. 1998. 64p. ISBN 0-531-20283-6. Available on the library shelves at 939 RUS.

As the Egyptian state first unified and began its southern expansion in the 3000s BCE, it encountered the Nubians. Located south of the first cataract, the Nubians controlled access to the southern reaches of the continent and traded resources such as gold, ivory, and elephants. The Egyptians coveted these resources and launched many incursions into the southern interior.

The fortunes of Nubia, as the region was called, were intricately tied to those of Egypt. As Egyptian power rose, Nubia’s fell, but as the Egyptian state ebbed, the various Nubian kingdoms expanded into Egypt. This relationship would continue for nearly 2,400 hundred years, until the Roman conquest of Egypt allowed the Nubian kingdom of Meroë to thrive. Eventually the country converted to Christianity, before converting again 500 years later to Islam.

A powerful kingdom in its own right, Nubia eventually became part of Egypt and of Sudan. Readers interested in the past will appreciate the exotic nature of Nubia and its unfamiliar history.