The Legendary Curse of King Tut’s Tomb (and 6 People Who Died From It)

King Tut, or Tutankhamun, was a boy king of Egypt, reigning from 1332 until 1323 BC. He was only 10 years old when he became Pharaoh. His young age and short reign are notable enough, but he is most famous for his tomb, which was opened in 1922 and found filled with gold and extraordinary Egyptian artifacts.

Photo Credit: Steve Evans, CC BY 2.0

When archeologist Howard Carter and his team opened the tomb of King Tut in 1922, those fascinated with Egyptology knew of the legends of curses and so watched for King Tut’s curse to extend its undead hands. The tomb had been left alone about for over 3,000 years – certainly, it was consecrated and should remain undisturbed.

And terrible events threatened those who dared to enter.

Photo Credit: Flickr

For the next 10 years, the dying didn’t stop.

Carter’s team was financed by a wealthy man named George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon. After receiving a cable from Carter announcing that after six years of exploration he had found the tomb of King Tut, Lord Carnarvon rushed to the area in Egypt known as the Valley of the Kings. He had dreamed of this moment for years and was a witness when Carter finally broke the seals and opened the door to the Pharaoh’s final resting place.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

When Carter pulled the door back, Carnarvon asked, ” Can you see anything?” Carter answered, “Yes. Wonderful things. Wonderful things!”

A few weeks later, as he was shaving, Carnarvon cut his face where a mosquito had bitten him. He consequently died of blood poisoning. Supposedly, the lights in his home back in England went out at his last breath, and a gash on the cheek of the king’s mummy matched the cut on Herbert’s.

The second ‘manifestation’ of the curse wasn’t a death, but it was terribly unlucky just the same. Carter sent a mummy’s hand paperweight to his friend, Sir Bruce Ingham, with a scarab bracelet inscribed with a warning: “Cursed be he who moves my body. To him shall come fire, water and pestilence.”

Photo Credit: Flickr

Carter, who scoffed at the notion of any curse, meant the gift as a macabre joke. But soon after receiving the mummy hand, Sir Ingham’s house burned to the ground, then flooded.

Ingham didn’t rebuild.

American financier and railroad executive George Jay Gould visited the tomb in 1923. He contracted pneumonia a few days later and never recovered, dying within the year.

George Jay Gould
Photo Credit: Public Domain

The curse also extended itself to people who never even went to the tomb. Carnarvon’s half-brother, Colonel The Honorable Aubrey Herbert went blind, had all this teeth pulled (he though it might cure his blindness) and died of sepsis – five months after Carnarvon.

Effigy of Colonel The Honorable Aubrey Herbert 
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Hugh Evelyn-White was one of the archeologists who helped excavate the tomb. It was rumored he was so spooked by the thought of a curse taking the lives of others associated with the project that he hanged himself. His suicide note, written in blood on a wall said, “I have succumbed to a curse which forces me to disappear.”

Also present at the opening of the tomb were American Egyptologist Aaron Ember and his wife, both of whom perished in a fire in their home after giving a dinner party. Though they initially escaped the flames, Ember and wife ran back in. She wanted to save their son. He wanted his manuscript–The Egyptian Book of the Dead.

In truth, out of the 58 people who were present when Carter opened the sealed tomb doors and discovered the riches within, eight died within 12 years. Carter himself lived to be 64 before dying of lymphoma.

So, which is it? Curse or coincidence?

Historians may be able to explain away the deaths and disasters due to the times and other circumstances. But the idea that there was a curse of King Tut’s tomb has been a boon to both tourism in Egypt and to Hollywood horror movie-making.

Curses are just more fun.

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Some of Our Most Beloved Wedding Traditions Have Really Weird Origins

Once you’ve been to enough weddings, you just take all the traditions in stride and don’t even give them a second thought.

But where do these time-honored traditions come from? Why do women have bridesmaids? Why is there a best man?

Read on to find out the strange, but very true, origins of these wedding customs.

1. The bouquet

Have you ever caught one?

Brides in ancient Greece wore wreaths made out of mint and marigold as an aphrodisiac. Brides would also have clusters of herbs to ward off evils.

2. The honeymoon

Photo Credit: Pexels

While it’s not totally clear, i’s rumored that the honeymoon was born out of necessity, back when kidnapping a bride was a thing. The husband would hide out for about a month after the kidnapping so the bride’s family would not be able to find her.

3. The first look

In the days of arranged marriages, it was believed that if the bride and groom had the opportunity to see each other before the wedding, they would have enough time to cancel the nuptials if they didn’t like what they saw.

4. Carrying the bride across the threshold

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Supposedly, a bride needed to show that she was displeased about having to leave her father’s home, so she was carried – ie forced – across the threshold.

Another idea is that the bride was carried so evil spirits couldn’t enter her body through her feet.

Evil spirits galore, back in the day.

5. The first kiss

It old days, the priest kissed the groom, who passed on this “kiss of peace” to the bride. The priest would also kiss all the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Sounds like a party!

6. Wedding rings

It’s believed the fourth finger is used for the ring because it was thought to contain a vein that leads directly to the heart.

The bride’s ring was also meant to symbolize ownership: Rings were often given to the fathers of brides as payment or collateral in ancient Roman, Greek, and Jewish cultures.

7. Bridesmaids

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Back in the day, bridesmaids were asked to wear dresses similar to the bride’s to confuse and ward off exes and evil spirits.

8. The best man

Men would sometimes steal or kidnap a bride for themselves, particularly if her family did not approve of them. The best man was originally chosen for his strength and fighting prowess to help the groom fight anyone who opposed the bride being kidnapped. And then the best man would stand next to the groom during the marriage so the bride wouldn’t run away during the ceremony.

Think about that one for a minute…

9. The white dress

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

If you thought brides always wore white, you’re wrong. Before the mid-1850s, brides typically wore red on their wedding day.

Queen Victoria wore white on her wedding day because she simply liked the color. It was shocking at first but the trend caught on – and never went away.

10. The father of the bride

Photo Credit: Pixabay

The father “giving away the bride” dates back to when women were thought of as property and the marriage was thought of as a transfer.

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15 Adorable Vintage Posters Pomoting Kindness to Animals

Times were lean in the 1930s – it was the Depression, and many families struggled to make ends meet and put meals on the table for their little ones.

But that doesn’t mean humans believed that taking out their less-than on animals was okay – at least, not according to these 15 posters. Quite the opposite, in fact.

So sit back and enjoy these 15 vintage posters promoting kindness to animals.

#1. This is sad!

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#2. A boy and his dog.

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#3. A still-needed reminder.

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#4. Those smiles.

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#5. Horses, too!

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#6. Best trio.

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#7. You can be someone’s hero!

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#8. So sweet.

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#9. Milk to spare.

#10. That means taking them to the doctor!

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#11. Finally a little girl.

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#12. How could you be mean to that doggo face?

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#13. An early adopt don’t shop.

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#14. I wish people would!

Image Credit: New York Heritage

#15. Kitteh and pupper.

Image Credit: New York Heritage

I couldn’t love anything more.

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Drive-in Movie Theatres

Despite some claims to the contrary, drive-in movie theaters in the United States are not making a comeback. In 2017 there exist about 330 operating drive-in theaters in the United States, down from a peak of about 4,000 in the late 1950s. In 1980, there were over 2400. Back in 1960s, there used to be […]

8 Awesome Facts That’ll Make You Seem Like The Smartest Person in the Room

I think it’s pretty important to learn something new every day. It makes you a better-rounded person, and also makes you a much better partner in a conversation.

So, enjoy these 8 facts that’ll make you feel smarter right away!

1. Hmmmm

Photo Credit: did you know?

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2. Obese pharaohs

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3. Gay griffons

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4. I notice this all the time

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5. Just in case

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6. Oh, great!

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7. Xennial

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8. Panic in the streets

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Say it again, “I did not know that!”

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Scientists Just Discovered a New Species of Human

The human family tree just grew another branch! Scientists are calling it Homo luzonensis, and it was discovered in a cave in the Philippines.

Image Credit: Callao Cave Archaeology Project

A 67,000-year-old thigh bone was discovered in the same system of caves back in 2007, which was unexpected because the island was cut off from the mainland during the last Ice Age. At the time, it was impossible to tell whether the bone came from a Homo sapien who had somehow made their way there, from another known species like Homo florensiensis, or something entirely new.

Now that 12 more fossils from at least three individuals . – two adults and a juvenile – have been found in the same cave, scientists are able to say for sure that they’re from a previously unknown species of early human. The remains share some similarities with Australopithecus aferensis, which died out over 2 million years ago, and others with Homo sapiens and even Homo erectus.

Image Credit: Callao Cave Archaeology Project

They also have features particular to them alone, such as small molars, that have never been documented before now.

Since stone tools and cut bones had also been found in the cave system, the discovery of human ancestors wasn’t a surprise, says Professor Philip Piper.

“We know hominids have been on Luzon for at least 700,000 years. We don’t know what sort of hominid.”

Because of the difficulty in extracting DNA from remains that have been in tropical environments and the low quantity of bones, we might never know for sure how they got there, whether they evolved from Homo erectus or a different common ancestor, or how they went extinct.

Researchers continue to hope that more digging might bring them more fossils, and that at least some of those questions could be answered.

Until then, welcome to the family, Homo luzonensis. We’re not perfect, but we’ve got great food.

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7 People Who We Absolutely Never Expected to be Librarians

When you picture a librarian, chances are you’re imagining a middle-aged/elderly lady with glasses attached to her neck-chain, shushing you at the slightest noise. This is a stereotype for sure, albeit one that is definitely grounded in reality from my personal experiences.

Sometimes, however, people surprise you. The fact that these 7 people used to be librarians? Mind-blowing.

#1. Lewis Carroll

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Carroll worked as sub-librarian at Oxford University, where he also tutored students and lectured in (surprisingly) mathematics.

#2. Casanova

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Before he was known as the world’s greatest lover, Casanova was just the local librarian in Dux, Bohemia. He catalogued books for Count Waldstein for 13 years and went through more than 40,000 volumes while cleaning the library and writing his famous Memoirs (probably on the clock).

#3. Mao Zedong

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The leader of China’s Communist Party once worked at Peking University as a librarian’s assistant – he earned a whopping $8 a month carrying periodicals and organizing shelves.

#4. Beverly Cleary

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Maybe this one isn’t much of a surprise, but the Newberry Medal-winning author was also a children’s librarian in Yakima, WA.

#5. Batgirl

Image Credit: DC Comics

A “grown-up” version of Batgirl appeared in 1967’s Detective Comics, in which Barbara Gordon was the grown daughter of the police commissioner and worked as a librarian.

#6. Goethe

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe worked at the Weimar Library, and he clearly enjoyed the organizational work – other branches even reached out asking for his help getting their own stacks in order.

#7. J. Edgar Hoover

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The country’s most infamous FBI director started at the Library of Congress, attending night school at George Washington Law. While there, he mastered the Dewey Decimal System and used that organizational knowledge when he transferred his skills to the FBI.

Who knew?

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The Loudest Sound Ever Heard in Human History

You probably think you know what an extremely loud noise sounds like. If you’ve ever walked by a jackhammer, for example, or stood a little too close to the speakers at a loud concert. But those sounds pale in comparison to what is officially known as the loudest sound ever heard.

It happened on August 27, 1883. On an island in Indonesia, a volcano erupted so violently that it literally tore the island apart. The noise was so loud that people heard it over 3,000 miles away — which would be like hearing a noise from Dublin, Ireland when you’re in Boston.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

It sounds impossible, and yet it very much happened. People heard the eruption on the island of Krakatoa in over 50 geographical locations across a full thirteenth of the Earth.

At 40 miles away, the sound shattered people’s eardrums. At 1,300 miles away, it sounded like “guns firing.” At 2,000 miles away, it sounded like “a series of loud reports, resembling those of artillery.” And at 3,000 miles away, it sounded like “the distant roar of heavy guns.” By the time the sound reached such a distant location, hours would have passed (the speed of sound is about 767 mph).

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

As you might guess, this was no average volcano eruption. It was devastating enough to wipe out 165 coastal villages and settlements and kill tens of thousands of people.

So, yeah, this is not a record we should aim to break anytime soon! Only truly cataclysmic events can create such loud noise, and it hasn’t happened since 1883.

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Back In the 1980s, America Was Apparently Terrified of “Dungeons & Dragons”

These days, we tend to view “Dungeons & Dragons” as being the realm of harmless, generally well-meaning fantasy nerds who love sharing a good adventure with their friends. Basically, it’s the least dangerous thing ever, and as nerd culture becomes more mainstream, it’s even become slightly “cool.”

Back when it first came out, though? TOTALLY different story. Evangelists across America got their drawers all bunched up at the mere prospect of something that doesn’t absolutely demonize the occult.

When D&D showed up in popular media, it was linked by reporters to things like Satanism, witchcraft, and the dark underbelly of youth culture.

Seriously.

Below are 8 super nutty mentions of the game in 1980s media.

#1. Some serious warning labels.

In 1985, Knight-Ridder (a periodical) covered the crusade of the group BADD (Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons) to require that D&D come with warning labels. Dr. Thomas Radecki, a psychiatrist and chairman of the National Coalition on Television Violence, was cited as saying,

“Dungeons & Dragons is essentially a worship of violence. It’s a very intense war game. Talk to people that have played it. It’s very fascinating. It’s a game of fun. But when you have fun with murder, that’s dangerous. When you make a game out of war, that’s harmful. The game is full of human sacrifice, eating babies, drinking blood, rape, murder of every variety, curses of insanity. It’s just a very violent game.”

As anyone who plays the game can tell you, pretty much none of that is remotely accurate.

#2. An expansion of witches.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

An Oregon minister wondered in 1985 whether or not D&D was behind an increase in the local witch population.

Assuming there was one.

“Rev. Jon Quigley of the Lakeview Full Gospel Fellowship says he’s concerned about the game “Dungeons & Dragons…Players of the game, known to devotees as “D&D,” assume the roles of fantasy characters and pass through adventures to achieve some goal. There is a strong emphasis on magic.”

The minister went on to claim D&D “opens up young people to influence or possession by demons” and that there are “more than 600 full-fledged, practicing witches” in the immediate area.

He also wanted the game removed from schools because it “amounts to teaching a religion and violates the separation of church and state.”

Wow.

#3. Warnings of brimfire.

Sharon Sipos, a stay-at-home mother of two, believed D&D is more than a game – it’s an “alternate lifestyle” that can only be battled with the Lord at her side.

She spoke out against the game on 30 different radio and television programs.

“They’re always planning what they will do the next time. Kids have lost jobs, flunked out of school. They totally confuse reality and fantasy. It becomes their god.”

#4. Implicated in a murder-suicide.

The police working a tragic murder-suicide in late 1984 wondered whether D&D had something to do with the crime.

“My understanding is that once you reach a certain point where you are the master, your only way out is death. That way, no one can beat you.”

D&D had nothing to do with the crime – one of the brothers involved was facing a prison sentence and couldn’t face the idea of life in prison.

#5. A trend toward Satan.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

An article titled “Officers Offer Warning of Trend Toward Satanism” appeared in the Capital Times in 1990. It was written by Pamela Cotant and digs deep into potential Satanic or gang-related activity related to Wisconsin youth.

She describes “nocturnal youths” roaming the streets during her night shift and flashing symbols of Satan. And a local priest was quick to agree, stating that youths interested in Satanism tended to dabble in other crimes as well, like suicide, abuse, burglary, etc and that their secret activities could include games like D&D.

#6. An evil board game.

Even in 1986, people were trying to connect the violent nature of a game to the increasingly violent behavior exhibited by some teenagers. The answer to society’ problem was, of course, to restrict or ban the games in question.

You’re just going to want to read this Chicago Sun-Times article for yourself, but beware – they want to get rid of Monopoly, too.

#7. A chat with Satan.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

An article published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch – “Game Said to Inspire Mind, Raise Satan” – is pretty amazing all on its own. It chronicles a group of parents and religious fundamentalists hellbent on saving their kids from a “satanical” game.

They believed the game “teaches Satan-worship, spell-casting, witchcraft, rape, suicide, and assassination.”

#8. A letter to the editor.

Also in 1985, a religious group in Springfield, IL, was trying to prevent AC/DC from performing a show. That, combined with a news segment on BADD and D&D, inspired the letter to the editor below:

Dear Editor,

This has been an interesting week. Sunday night I tuned into the tail end of “60 Minutes” and was confronted with some lady in a big flap about the game Dungeons and Dragons. I never did get her point — whether she wanted the game taken off the market or just wanted to publicly air her sorrow over the suicide of her son which she blames on D&D. I commiserate. Losing a teen or preteen child to suicide must be the most agonizing thing a parent can face. The rest I took with a grain of salt.

My younger son has played D&D since the third grade and it has never occurred to me to check him for suicidal tendencies. In the eight years he has been playing, I’ve spent close to $600 on books, modules, dice, lead figures and other accouterments of the game. I guarantee you, when I spend that kind of money I pay attention to what it’s all about. I’ve listened to many an hour of it. I don’t exactly see what they get out of it — it seems rather boring to me — but I’ve had games continue on the kitchen table for days and I fail to see the harm in it.

Two days later I hear on the radio that AC/DC cannot appear at the Prairie Capital Convention Center because the local clergy and a few concerned parents think their music promotes Satanism. Amazing! Now I suppose I’ll have to keep watch on my cats and the neighbors’ dog in case my sons decide to indulge in some of the more gory rites of Satanic sacrifices. After all, we have and play every AC/DC album that’s been cut.

I secretly wanted to go to the concert myself but really couldn’t because, first, I’d embarrass my kids to death, and, second, my eardrums can’t take the decibel level they could when I was 16. But if I did decide to go I surely wouldn’t do so in fear of my mortal soul — or my sons’. If people don’t want their kids to go, keep them home. Or if they don’t want them playing D&D, don’t buy the game. What has that to do with the rest of us? I think all this brouhaha is ridiculous.

Glenna Burns Beckner, Pleasant Plains [Illinois]

You gotta be pretty focused on all this terrible stuff in order to see it everywhere, don’t you think?

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43 Giant Busts of U.S. Presidents Are Just Sitting in a Field in Virginia

Were you lucky enough to see the wonderful statues (erected in 2004) at Presidents Park in Williamsburg, Virginia? Well, consider yourself lucky – because the park closed due to lack of visitors in 2010.

Today, 43 giant busts of American Presidents sit on a farm in Virginia just waiting for someone, anyone, to figure out what to do with them. It’s too bad, because they are very impressive.

Posted by Renew the Presidents on Friday, February 2, 2018

The busts were made by David Adickes, an artist from Houston who was inspired to create the pieces after he visited Mount Rushmore. After six years on public display, the heads had to be moved after the land where the park was located was sold.

Posted by Renew the Presidents on Monday, January 18, 2016

Howard Hankins, who helped construct Presidents Park, removed the giant heads to his family farm until a decision is made about what’s next for the unique collection. Each head weighs 22,000 pounds, and they stand 18 to 20 feet tall. It took Hankins a week to lug all 43 of the statues to his property.

The Presidents in winter.

Posted by Renew the Presidents on Friday, December 8, 2017

What comes next for the statues is up in the air. A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to open a museum that will feature the artifacts, but some of the statues are falling into disrepair and need a touch-up.

As of right now, the presidential busts are held on private property, which means they are not open to the public.

Hopefully, that will change in the future…

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