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The mummy's curse: historical cohort study

2002; BMJ; Volume: 325; Issue: 7378 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1136/bmj.325.7378.1482

0959-8138

Mark Nelson,

Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs

Abstract Objective: To examine survival of individuals exposed to the “mummy9s curse” reputedly associated with the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamen in Luxor, Egypt, between February 1923 and November 1926. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Participants: 44 Westerners identified by Howard Carter as present in Egypt at the specified dates, 25 of whom were potentially exposed to the curse. Main outcome measures: Length of survival after date of potential exposure. Results: In the 25 people exposed to the curse the mean age at death was 70 years (SD 12) compared with 75 (13) in those not exposed (P=0.87 for difference). Survival after the date of exposure was 20.8 (15.2) v 28.9 (13.6) years respectively (P=0.95 for difference). Female sex was a predictor for survival (P=0.02). Conclusions: There was no significant association between exposure to the mummy9s curse and survival and thus no evidence to support the existence of a mummy9s curse What is already known on this topic The methods of evidence based medicine have not been used to investigate the reality of the “mummy9s curse” The arguments against the curse have been as anecdotal as the contemporary newspapers that reported it What this study adds There was no association between potential exposure to the mummy9s curse during the excavation of Tutankamen9s tomb and death within 10 years No evidence was found for the existence of a mummy9s curse