What do you think?
Rate this book
The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb
The true story of the search for Tutankhamun's tomb, the Western public's belief that the dig was cursed, and the battle for ownership of the treasures within.
During the reign of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun ruled and died tragically young. In order to send him on his way into the afterlife, his tomb was filled with every treasure he would need after death. And then, it was lost to time, buried in the sands of the Valley of the Kings.
His tomb was also said to be cursed.
Centuries later, as Egypt-mania gripped Europe, two Brits -- a rich earl with a habit for gambling and a disreputable, determined archeologist -- worked for years to rediscover and open Tutankhamun's tomb. But once it was uncovered, would ancient powers take their revenge for disturbing and even looting the pharaoh's resting place? What else could explain the mysterious illnesses, accidents, and deaths that began once it was found?
During the reign of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun ruled and died tragically young. In order to send him on his way into the afterlife, his tomb was filled with every treasure he would need after death. And then, it was lost to time, buried in the sands of the Valley of the Kings.
His tomb was also said to be cursed.
Centuries later, as Egypt-mania gripped Europe, two Brits -- a rich earl with a habit for gambling and a disreputable, determined archeologist -- worked for years to rediscover and open Tutankhamun's tomb. But once it was uncovered, would ancient powers take their revenge for disturbing and even looting the pharaoh's resting place? What else could explain the mysterious illnesses, accidents, and deaths that began once it was found?
285 pages, Hardcover
Published September 7, 2021
22 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Candace Fleming
62 books572 followersI have always been a storyteller. Even before I could write my name, I could tell a good tale. And I told them all the time. As a preschooler, I told my neighbors all about my three-legged cat named Spot. In kindergarten, I told my classmates about the ghost that lived in my attic. And in first grade I told my teacher, Miss Harbart, all about my family's trip to Paris, France.
I told such a good story that people always thought I was telling the truth. But I wasn't. I didn't have a three-legged cat or a ghost in my attic, and I'd certainly never been to Paris, France. I simply enjoyed telling a good story... and seeing my listener's reaction.
Sure, some people might have said I was a seven-year old fibber. But not my parents. Instead of calling my stories "fibs" they called them "imaginative." They encouraged me to put my stories down on paper. I did. And amazingly, once I began writing, I couldn't stop. I filled notebook after notebook with stories, poems, plays. I still have many of those notebooks. They're precious to me because they are a record of my writing life from elementary school on.
In second grade, I discovered a passion for language. I can still remember the day my teacher, Miss Johnson, held up a horn-shaped basket filled with papier-mache pumpkins and asked the class to repeat the word "cornucopia." I said it again and again, tasted the word on my lips. I tested it on my ears. That afternoon, I skipped all the way home from school chanting, "Cornucopia! Cornucopia!" From then on, I really began listening to words—to the sounds they made, and the way they were used, and how they made me feel. I longed to put them together in ways that were beautiful, and yet told a story.
As I grew, I continued to write stories. But I never really thought of becoming an author. Instead, I went to college where I discovered yet another passion—history. I didn't realize it then, but studying history is really just an extension of my love of stories. After all, some of the best stories are true ones — tales of heroism and villainy made more incredible by the fact they really happened.
After graduation, I got married and had children. I read to them a lot, and that's when I discovered the joy and music of children's books. I simply couldn't get enough of them. With my two sons in tow, I made endless trips to the library. I read stacks of books. I found myself begging, "Just one more, pleeeeease!" while my boys begged for lights-out and sleep. Then it struck me. Why not write children's books? It seemed the perfect way to combine all the things I loved: stories, musical language, history, and reading. I couldn't wait to get started.
But writing children's books is harder than it looks. For three years I wrote story after story. I sent them to publisher after publisher. And I received rejection letter after rejection letter. Still, I didn't give up. I kept trying until finally one of my stories was pulled from the slush pile and turned into a book. My career as a children's author had begun.
I told such a good story that people always thought I was telling the truth. But I wasn't. I didn't have a three-legged cat or a ghost in my attic, and I'd certainly never been to Paris, France. I simply enjoyed telling a good story... and seeing my listener's reaction.
Sure, some people might have said I was a seven-year old fibber. But not my parents. Instead of calling my stories "fibs" they called them "imaginative." They encouraged me to put my stories down on paper. I did. And amazingly, once I began writing, I couldn't stop. I filled notebook after notebook with stories, poems, plays. I still have many of those notebooks. They're precious to me because they are a record of my writing life from elementary school on.
In second grade, I discovered a passion for language. I can still remember the day my teacher, Miss Johnson, held up a horn-shaped basket filled with papier-mache pumpkins and asked the class to repeat the word "cornucopia." I said it again and again, tasted the word on my lips. I tested it on my ears. That afternoon, I skipped all the way home from school chanting, "Cornucopia! Cornucopia!" From then on, I really began listening to words—to the sounds they made, and the way they were used, and how they made me feel. I longed to put them together in ways that were beautiful, and yet told a story.
As I grew, I continued to write stories. But I never really thought of becoming an author. Instead, I went to college where I discovered yet another passion—history. I didn't realize it then, but studying history is really just an extension of my love of stories. After all, some of the best stories are true ones — tales of heroism and villainy made more incredible by the fact they really happened.
After graduation, I got married and had children. I read to them a lot, and that's when I discovered the joy and music of children's books. I simply couldn't get enough of them. With my two sons in tow, I made endless trips to the library. I read stacks of books. I found myself begging, "Just one more, pleeeeease!" while my boys begged for lights-out and sleep. Then it struck me. Why not write children's books? It seemed the perfect way to combine all the things I loved: stories, musical language, history, and reading. I couldn't wait to get started.
But writing children's books is harder than it looks. For three years I wrote story after story. I sent them to publisher after publisher. And I received rejection letter after rejection letter. Still, I didn't give up. I kept trying until finally one of my stories was pulled from the slush pile and turned into a book. My career as a children's author had begun.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
September 9, 2021
Wow. Candace Fleming does it again. I love everything she writes, especially these investigative books like The Romanovs, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and this one, of course. The story has a great set up with the intermittent curse "teasers"--various stories about people who have died after having been exposed to the tomb and the artifacts. Also, she doesn't draw any conclusions until the end, so I was constantly evaluating my own reaction. Fascinating detail and narrative about "Egyptomania" (we have an "Egyptian Theater" in our town from the 1930s), the ongoing battle over artifact ownership, excavation techniques and the young king himself. Highly recommended. I loved it.
April 3, 2023
Coincidence or curse?!
This book is so informative and easy to digest. Though there is much speculation around King Tut's tomb and the mysterious deaths of almost all involved in the discovery, this book explains and pulls truth from rumor. I was entertained and learned so much about King Tut, Egyptology, and the establishment of excavating tombs. Also there are pictures! I am an actual child and need pictures!
I especially like the chapter at the end that dives into the scientific (and not so scientific) examination into how almost all the men connected to the tomb dropped dead.
Disappointed there weren't booby traps and/or giant rolling boulder chase scenes ;)
This book is so informative and easy to digest. Though there is much speculation around King Tut's tomb and the mysterious deaths of almost all involved in the discovery, this book explains and pulls truth from rumor. I was entertained and learned so much about King Tut, Egyptology, and the establishment of excavating tombs. Also there are pictures! I am an actual child and need pictures!
I especially like the chapter at the end that dives into the scientific (and not so scientific) examination into how almost all the men connected to the tomb dropped dead.
Disappointed there weren't booby traps and/or giant rolling boulder chase scenes ;)
August 21, 2021
Review copy: ARC via author
Narrative nonfiction is probably my favorite and I started reading it in Junior High. Fiction had my heart, but when I read an awesome novel and wanted to learn more about a related topic, narrative nonfiction was my go-to for information. Even diehard fiction lovers can appreciate The Curse of the Mummy because it reads like a novel. Fleming has crafted an intriguing and thought-provoking story that carries a ton of information and questions about this king.
The chapters are interspersed with brief commentary about rumors surrounding the curse. These tidbits are on black pages so it is easy to distinguished the rumors from the actual facts. She uses the phrase fake news at least once so readers can draw parallels to the current day.
This is mostly a chronological narrative, but it doesn't just tell the individual actions and happenings that occurred around the site of the tomb, but some of the things that led to British people digging up the artifacts of Egypt and even taking some of them out of the country. She asks questions and provides the background for readers to consider colonialism and some of its affects. Readers will also likely be questioning if it is a good thing to disturb the tomb a teenager who would never have envisioned how his body would be taken apart, studied, and put on display for so many people.
It's a book about a particular set of circumstances, but it is a book that is meant to inspire curiosity and model questioning the processes and ways in which we move through the world.
Recommendation: This is a significant book that would be an awesome addition to any library or classroom serving middle grade readers. I believe it will work best with readers on the higher end of middle grade, but it would also be an incredible read aloud with those on the younger end. There is much to discuss and many parallels to be drawn between current events. I immediately thought of the museum scene in Black Panther and so many of the Indigenous nations here in what is currently known as the United States that are working toward repatriation of remains and artifacts. There are also Indigenous archeologists at work that it would be great to learn about or connect with around this book, like Marvin Defoe the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. You may listen to a podcast about the work he is part of at Frog Bay or read the transcript. Fleming respects her readers so she does not overly simplify the content and while it is a challenging book, it is well worth the read.
Narrative nonfiction is probably my favorite and I started reading it in Junior High. Fiction had my heart, but when I read an awesome novel and wanted to learn more about a related topic, narrative nonfiction was my go-to for information. Even diehard fiction lovers can appreciate The Curse of the Mummy because it reads like a novel. Fleming has crafted an intriguing and thought-provoking story that carries a ton of information and questions about this king.
The chapters are interspersed with brief commentary about rumors surrounding the curse. These tidbits are on black pages so it is easy to distinguished the rumors from the actual facts. She uses the phrase fake news at least once so readers can draw parallels to the current day.
This is mostly a chronological narrative, but it doesn't just tell the individual actions and happenings that occurred around the site of the tomb, but some of the things that led to British people digging up the artifacts of Egypt and even taking some of them out of the country. She asks questions and provides the background for readers to consider colonialism and some of its affects. Readers will also likely be questioning if it is a good thing to disturb the tomb a teenager who would never have envisioned how his body would be taken apart, studied, and put on display for so many people.
It's a book about a particular set of circumstances, but it is a book that is meant to inspire curiosity and model questioning the processes and ways in which we move through the world.
Recommendation: This is a significant book that would be an awesome addition to any library or classroom serving middle grade readers. I believe it will work best with readers on the higher end of middle grade, but it would also be an incredible read aloud with those on the younger end. There is much to discuss and many parallels to be drawn between current events. I immediately thought of the museum scene in Black Panther and so many of the Indigenous nations here in what is currently known as the United States that are working toward repatriation of remains and artifacts. There are also Indigenous archeologists at work that it would be great to learn about or connect with around this book, like Marvin Defoe the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. You may listen to a podcast about the work he is part of at Frog Bay or read the transcript. Fleming respects her readers so she does not overly simplify the content and while it is a challenging book, it is well worth the read.
June 16, 2023
Selected by my 6-year-old at the library, I read this book aloud to her and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, almost as much as she did! Fleming does a wonderful job at making the key figures associated with the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb come to life, so to speak. I came to this book with a negative view of Howard Carter, which, I have realised was due to my elementary school teacher's own bias against him. Fleming has completely altered my view of him and made him much more likeable than what I had previously been led to believe. Wonderful book.
August 11, 2024
Fleming does a great job with her non-fiction. I learned a lot I didn't know about the excavation for Tutankhamun's tomb specifically, archeaology in general, and a bit about the political events at that time in history. All in a smooth narrative format that kept me engaged.
January 3, 2022
King Tut is the most famous mummy in the world. Learn how that came to be in this edge-of-your-seat true story of the search for Tutankhamun's tomb, the Western public's belief that the dig was cursed, and the battle for ownership of the treasures within.
June 21, 2021
Richie’s Picks: THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY: UNCOVERING TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB by Candace Fleming, Scholastic Focus, September 2021, 304p., ISBN: 978-1-338-59661-8
“From life-sized Pharaonic busts to finely painted copies of their treasured grave goods, Egypt has inaugurated a factory dedicated to making high-quality replicas of ancient Egyptian artifacts, available to tourists for purchase...Among the factory’s most expensive products are life-sized replicas of King Tutankhamun’s ceremonial chair...as well as his gold-painted mask.”
-- PressTV.com (6/13/21)
“King Tut (King Tut)
Now when he was a young man
He never thought he’d see
People stand in line to see the boy king
(King Tut) How’d you get so funky?
(Funky Tut) Do you do the monkey?”
--Steve Martin, “King Tut” (1978)
I remember the song from Saturday Night Live, and I recall some ancient Egypt basics I learned, long ago, in a high school World History class. But in the hands of Candace Fleming, the tale of locating and excavating the boy king’s tomb is a whole ‘nother story. THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY is breathtaking. Admittedly, it was a bit freaky to be reading about the supposed curse at four in the morning. But I just couldn’t put this book down.
In large measure, THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY is the story of Howard Carter, the man who was hired to lead the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb. When we first meet him, we learn that,
“Howard Carter arrived in Egypt from England in 1891. Just seventeen years old at the time, he had little schooling, no money, and no training in Egyptology. He did, however, have a knack for sketching and painting.”
And once in Egypt, making sketches for a British Egyptologist, Howard Carter lucked out big-time:
Flinders Petrie, the man who invented the idea of archaeology as a science and today is known as ‘the father of archaeology,’ noticed the boy’s keen eye. He asked Carter to join his excavation team. Soon, the teenager was sketching by day and studying by night. From Petrie, he learned...everything! How to deal with ancient, fragile textiles; how to date a pot based on its style; how to move boulders; how to read the gorges and sand dunes; how to keep tunnels from collapsing; how to keep from being eaten alive by the sand fleas. Most importantly, Petrie taught him the study of ‘unconsidered trifles.’ At that time, most diggers cared only about big finds--tomb paintings, sculptures, or jewelry. But Petrie advocated something new: ‘the observation of small things...The science of observation, of registration, of recording.’ Nothing escaped Petrie’s eye. Unlike other Egyptologists, he took note of a single bead or amulet, corroded coins, and other fragments of the ancient Egyptian’s everyday life. He sifted through sand. He sifted through rubble. He collected every shard of pottery, then pieced them together like a huge jigsaw puzzle. And while some Egyptologists laughed at his methods, Carter listened and learned. Within two years, and under Petrie’s close eye, he himself was searching for clues in the sand.”
Fast forward a few years, and lightning strikes again: A British earl--super-wealthy with a new Egyptology hobby--goes shopping for an archeologist to lead his dig in the “City of the Dead,” and is given Howard Carter’s name. And that’s how Carter came to employ Flinders Petrie’s careful, exacting methods in excavating King Tut’s tomb and providing information that drastically expanded what the world knows about the everyday lives of ancient Egyptians.
In addition to the century-old debate about the curse, there are fascinating tangents regarding colonialism, the dismissal of Carter by the upper class Brits, and much more. But the focus is primarily on Howard Carter’s careful excavation and evaluation of the treasures of the boy king.
Candace Fleming has quite the ability to paint vivid word pictures, such as when we read about Carter hanging upside down by his ankles for hours, carefully preparing to remove objects without damaging those “small things” that his mentor taught him to pay attention to.
THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY is engaging narrative nonfiction at its best. It’s certainly another Sibert Medal contender for Ms. Fleming.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
https://twitter.com/richiespicks
[email protected]
“From life-sized Pharaonic busts to finely painted copies of their treasured grave goods, Egypt has inaugurated a factory dedicated to making high-quality replicas of ancient Egyptian artifacts, available to tourists for purchase...Among the factory’s most expensive products are life-sized replicas of King Tutankhamun’s ceremonial chair...as well as his gold-painted mask.”
-- PressTV.com (6/13/21)
“King Tut (King Tut)
Now when he was a young man
He never thought he’d see
People stand in line to see the boy king
(King Tut) How’d you get so funky?
(Funky Tut) Do you do the monkey?”
--Steve Martin, “King Tut” (1978)
I remember the song from Saturday Night Live, and I recall some ancient Egypt basics I learned, long ago, in a high school World History class. But in the hands of Candace Fleming, the tale of locating and excavating the boy king’s tomb is a whole ‘nother story. THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY is breathtaking. Admittedly, it was a bit freaky to be reading about the supposed curse at four in the morning. But I just couldn’t put this book down.
In large measure, THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY is the story of Howard Carter, the man who was hired to lead the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb. When we first meet him, we learn that,
“Howard Carter arrived in Egypt from England in 1891. Just seventeen years old at the time, he had little schooling, no money, and no training in Egyptology. He did, however, have a knack for sketching and painting.”
And once in Egypt, making sketches for a British Egyptologist, Howard Carter lucked out big-time:
Flinders Petrie, the man who invented the idea of archaeology as a science and today is known as ‘the father of archaeology,’ noticed the boy’s keen eye. He asked Carter to join his excavation team. Soon, the teenager was sketching by day and studying by night. From Petrie, he learned...everything! How to deal with ancient, fragile textiles; how to date a pot based on its style; how to move boulders; how to read the gorges and sand dunes; how to keep tunnels from collapsing; how to keep from being eaten alive by the sand fleas. Most importantly, Petrie taught him the study of ‘unconsidered trifles.’ At that time, most diggers cared only about big finds--tomb paintings, sculptures, or jewelry. But Petrie advocated something new: ‘the observation of small things...The science of observation, of registration, of recording.’ Nothing escaped Petrie’s eye. Unlike other Egyptologists, he took note of a single bead or amulet, corroded coins, and other fragments of the ancient Egyptian’s everyday life. He sifted through sand. He sifted through rubble. He collected every shard of pottery, then pieced them together like a huge jigsaw puzzle. And while some Egyptologists laughed at his methods, Carter listened and learned. Within two years, and under Petrie’s close eye, he himself was searching for clues in the sand.”
Fast forward a few years, and lightning strikes again: A British earl--super-wealthy with a new Egyptology hobby--goes shopping for an archeologist to lead his dig in the “City of the Dead,” and is given Howard Carter’s name. And that’s how Carter came to employ Flinders Petrie’s careful, exacting methods in excavating King Tut’s tomb and providing information that drastically expanded what the world knows about the everyday lives of ancient Egyptians.
In addition to the century-old debate about the curse, there are fascinating tangents regarding colonialism, the dismissal of Carter by the upper class Brits, and much more. But the focus is primarily on Howard Carter’s careful excavation and evaluation of the treasures of the boy king.
Candace Fleming has quite the ability to paint vivid word pictures, such as when we read about Carter hanging upside down by his ankles for hours, carefully preparing to remove objects without damaging those “small things” that his mentor taught him to pay attention to.
THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY is engaging narrative nonfiction at its best. It’s certainly another Sibert Medal contender for Ms. Fleming.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
https://twitter.com/richiespicks
[email protected]
June 21, 2021
I was unaware of Scholastic's fairly recent imprint dedicated to narrative nonfiction and Candace Fleming's work. Both are huge oversights on my part! This was a riveting read on the search and discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. It really reads like an engrossing story of a true account! I couldn't put it down, and I don't think kids will be able to either.
October 23, 2023
While I was reading the book The Curse of The MummyThe Curse of The Mummy talks about how the tomb of King Tut was somehow cursed since many people tried and many people could not find it. Many archaeologists tried and failed and most of them got injured in their journey to find the mystical grave of the famous egyptian pharaoh King Tut.
This book made me wish that I could travel back in time while sleeping and wake up in ancient Egypt, and when I woke up I would be invisible to everyone but myself. And I would explore every part of ancient egypt, especially the pyramids that had different pharaoh tombs in it and what they would give each pharaoh in their tomb. The tomb that I would want to see the most would be King Tut’s.
This book made me realize that there is always a bigger picture and that you should never think something is easy. For example most people thought that King Tut’s tomb was just found and that was it, but the truth is that just from that tomb alone we discovered King Tut's dad,mom, ancestors, grandparents etc. And plus we would have never known that King Tut’s tomb was robbed, and that the robbers went into the pyramid twice to rob something. That's really interesting stuff, and we would have never found all of this if we never looked for the bigger picture.
This book made me wonder if Ancient Egypt was present today with pharaohs, pyramids, and everyone in between. It would probably be the most advanced civilization in our time, because if Ancient Egypt could have built pyramids so long ago, imagine what they could do now with everything that we have in today's world. They might have even conquered all of Africa
This book made me see that when people tell you to study, work, and give in one hundred and ten percent of your strength into something that you love doing you should, because in a couple more years from now none of us from this generation will be here anymore, but we can set and example just like the Egyptians set ones for us. Imagine you are in a desert, you are a nomad who was just passing by, all you see is sand, not a single building, and then you see one piece of mud and clay, if you found the source of where that mud and clay came from you could build a house here who knows maybe even more. Either way, if you did it or not, that did not stop the Egyptians from building a masterpiece using mud and clay standing at 150 meters tall. That's how the Egyptians set an example for everyone who came after them. They were always determined.
This book made me believe that even people who have nothing or close to nothing can still accomplish more than anyone around them. Just look at the Egyptians they built so many things and accomplished so much. Including King Tut who made Egypt a polytheistic civilization again after his father turned it monotheistic. They even fought the Nubians for control of the Nile.
This book made me feel interested since it talked about how so many people tried to discover a tomb or something that could tie back to Ancient Egypt and so many people failed but once they found King Tut’s tomb so many pieces came together and it was one of the biggest discoveries in the history of the world.
This book made me hope for newer and bigger and better discoveries that relate to Ancient Egypt or just anything in general to get more information on what happened back then. And so that we can get a better and bigger picture of how it would look and feel to live back then.
Overall I had many emotions and thoughts while reading this book and if I had the chance to read the book again I would definitely read it, but this time knowing all that I know it will be even better. And if you like reading non-fiction books on life back then or different civilizations I think you should give it a try and read this book as well.
December 22, 2021
The true story of how Tutankhamun's Tomb was uncovered, the people involved in the exhibition and how the mummy's curse affected them all. The book takes the reader through an in-depth look at the digs, the politics, and the people with injections on the mummy's curse.
This book is extremely well done. It does a great job informing on the uncovering of Tutankhamun's tomb while drawing readers in with stories of the curse of the mummy. It's an information heavy and less novelistic than other non-fiction for middle grade but with the added images and curse stories it keeps its engagement through the book. A good non-fiction recommendation for those who enjoy non-fiction but also a great pick for someone who needs to read non-fiction for school and usually does not.
This book is extremely well done. It does a great job informing on the uncovering of Tutankhamun's tomb while drawing readers in with stories of the curse of the mummy. It's an information heavy and less novelistic than other non-fiction for middle grade but with the added images and curse stories it keeps its engagement through the book. A good non-fiction recommendation for those who enjoy non-fiction but also a great pick for someone who needs to read non-fiction for school and usually does not.
February 25, 2022
I’ve always been fascinated by archaeology so this book’s premise was right up my alley. Narrative nonfiction is my jam; this read so fast! I honestly wasn’t that interested in the curse portion of the book, but it was a successful device for bookending the story. I didn’t expect my horrified reaction upon learning what these “professional archaeologists” did to the mummy of Tutankhamun, but it has opened up a whole new host of questions to ask myself about the morality of disturbing someone’s burial site. A fun, informative read; I look forward to reading more archaeology books in the future.
March 13, 2024
We tried this book as a read aloud in my 6th grade class. Though it was a good book and related to their studies about ancient Egypt, they sometimes lost interest. The pictures really help students to understand what they are reading, and sometimes it is time consuming to show the pictures to everyone while reading.
November 7, 2024
I'm sad that its over!!
I LOVED this book!!
I LOVED this book!!
December 5, 2024
This is the first Candace Fleming book I've read, and she really does have a knack for narrative nonfiction. This was both informative and entertaining- and I appreciated all the pictures she included! Definite IBOB possibility...
Read
June 29, 2021Utterly riveting. Exceedingly accessible. I can't wait to reread the finished book! I couldn't put it down!
March 17, 2022
This book describes the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and its excavation. I enjoyed it.
November 3, 2023
Everyone has heard of King Tutankhamun--the boy king whose reign as a pharaoh in Egypt's New Kingdom was cut tragically short when he died as a teenager. You've probably seen pictures of the wondrous artifacts buried with him in his tomb so that they could travel with him into the afterlife.
But there's more to the story than that. Centuries later, many believed the tomb was lost forever. After so many years of searching, some believed excavators would never uncover a tomb in the famed Valley of the Kings that had not fallen prey to looters.
They were wrong.
This is the story of the unlikely pair of men who, together, uncovered one of the most famous archaeological finds in history. This is also the story of how they may--or may not--have also been the first victims of one of the most enduring curses in history in The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb (2021) by Candace Fleming.
Fleming turns her considerable talents as an author and researcher to separate fact from fiction surrounding the discovery and excavation of King Tut's tomb in 1922. The rumors of the curse that affected Howard Carter, Lord Carnarvon, and the members of the excavation party. Chapters are broken up with sections titled "It Was Said" detailing the lurid details of the curse and the mysterious circumstances that befell many of the people present when Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered on November 4, 1922.
In addition to detailing the excavation and its historical significance, Fleming also acknowledges the problems with British colonizers coming to Egypt to excavate the country's most precious artifacts--many of which still need to be repatriated even now.
The Curse of the Mummy is an entertaining introduction to both archaeology and ancient Egypt which also has a lot of new information to offer more seasoned readers. As to whether or not there is a curse on King Tut's tomb, Fleming offers a very measured final chapter that largely debunks and tries to put to rest all theories about the curse as anything but a series of compelling coincidences. But some readers may still choose to believe.
But there's more to the story than that. Centuries later, many believed the tomb was lost forever. After so many years of searching, some believed excavators would never uncover a tomb in the famed Valley of the Kings that had not fallen prey to looters.
They were wrong.
This is the story of the unlikely pair of men who, together, uncovered one of the most famous archaeological finds in history. This is also the story of how they may--or may not--have also been the first victims of one of the most enduring curses in history in The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb (2021) by Candace Fleming.
Fleming turns her considerable talents as an author and researcher to separate fact from fiction surrounding the discovery and excavation of King Tut's tomb in 1922. The rumors of the curse that affected Howard Carter, Lord Carnarvon, and the members of the excavation party. Chapters are broken up with sections titled "It Was Said" detailing the lurid details of the curse and the mysterious circumstances that befell many of the people present when Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered on November 4, 1922.
In addition to detailing the excavation and its historical significance, Fleming also acknowledges the problems with British colonizers coming to Egypt to excavate the country's most precious artifacts--many of which still need to be repatriated even now.
The Curse of the Mummy is an entertaining introduction to both archaeology and ancient Egypt which also has a lot of new information to offer more seasoned readers. As to whether or not there is a curse on King Tut's tomb, Fleming offers a very measured final chapter that largely debunks and tries to put to rest all theories about the curse as anything but a series of compelling coincidences. But some readers may still choose to believe.
July 5, 2023
WOW. Riveting read and so informative. While readers follow the suspenseful narrative of the discovery of King Tut's tomb and the systematic, ground breaking excavation amidst political turmoil, they also learn about how many people believed in "the curse of the mummy." Between chapters telling the story of the discovery/excavation, on darkened pages with white print and the heading (in Italics) "It was said...," Fleming explains how many people (in that period) believed you could correspond with the dead. (Think seances, right?) She describes the numerous suspicious deaths of people who had visited the tomb. By the end of the book, I almost believed there was a curse but then Fleming debunks it all with scientific research!
And it's not just the curse sections that will draw middle grade/school readers in. The narrative is suspenseful - there was a lot of competition for spots to excavate; there was a lot of pressure to move quickly; there was political turmoil over who had the rights to the artifacts. (Did the Egyptians or the wealthy white men doing the digging?)
AND there's just a lot of detail about what they learned from the excavation about King Tut and about how the archaeologist Howard Carter systematically (over ten years or longer) removed each item from the tomb. They numbered, photographed, sketched, and wrote descriptions of EVERYTHING. He had a team of scientists on call to help with careful removal and preservation and so forth. FASCINATING STUFF for our middle grade readers.
I'D BOOK TALK THIS. Read aloud the first few pages in your spookiest voice and leave in the classroom library to be snatched up!
BTW Candace Fleming is a GO-TO author for me. I never miss reading her titles.
And it's not just the curse sections that will draw middle grade/school readers in. The narrative is suspenseful - there was a lot of competition for spots to excavate; there was a lot of pressure to move quickly; there was political turmoil over who had the rights to the artifacts. (Did the Egyptians or the wealthy white men doing the digging?)
AND there's just a lot of detail about what they learned from the excavation about King Tut and about how the archaeologist Howard Carter systematically (over ten years or longer) removed each item from the tomb. They numbered, photographed, sketched, and wrote descriptions of EVERYTHING. He had a team of scientists on call to help with careful removal and preservation and so forth. FASCINATING STUFF for our middle grade readers.
I'D BOOK TALK THIS. Read aloud the first few pages in your spookiest voice and leave in the classroom library to be snatched up!
BTW Candace Fleming is a GO-TO author for me. I never miss reading her titles.
March 19, 2022
This is a middle grades book for kids obsessed with ancient Egypt. Lots of pictures and information about archeology with a spooky twist would’ve kept sixth-grade me hooked. Thirty-nine-year-old me just wasn’t as interested. I read this for a book awards committee and will not be recommending it, though it’s a must for middle school library shelves.
August 19, 2023
This was an amazing book about the discovery of the tomb of King Tut, the boy king. It told about the mysterious curse said to be on the tomb telling about the mysteries of deaths and injuries following people who went into the tomb. All of the curse believers thought that everything had to be the curse. It was an amazing read.
January 2, 2023
The Curse of the Mummy gives background story and information about the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. I was fascinated by the story and the pictures and illustrations. I feel that any young person who is interested in Egyptian artifacts, mummys and King Tut would find this book a rewarding adventure.
August 27, 2021
[Blog]::[Youtube]::[Twitter]::[Instagram]::[Pinterest]::[Bloglovin]
When I started reading this book, I did not know what to expect. I started reading it because I loved reading about the history of Ancient Egypt and always found the topic fascinating. Once I started reading the story, I could not put it down. I loved this book because the team behind it executed it so well.
The book focuses on the events that took place during the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb. We get a brief history of Tutankhamun’s death and the Valley of Kings, followed by the events. Not having any previous knowledge about the circumstances, I was fascinated and unnerved by some of the things the author mentions. After reading this book, you ponder if the strange situations are a coincidence or the result of a curse. The author writes the tale to appeal to middle graders by giving the highlights and not going into too many details.
Moreover, even though the story is non-fiction, the author narrates the story so exciting that it borders on fiction. Many scenes were exciting, like when the Cobra enters Carter’s house or what happens to Lord Carnarvon. The book also contains a lot of pictures that make it stand out. I loved seeing some of the photos and visualizing how the crew would have reacted in certain parts. There are also moments of spells, incantations, possession, and warnings that give this book a special touch.
Overall, “The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb” is a fantastic non-fiction book of events that is perfect for picking out if you love anything Ancient Egypt (even if you are not a middle grader).
November 15, 2021
Candace Fleming takes readers back in time and relates the history of Tutankhamun's tomb. She starts with the earliest raids, and then transitions to Lord Carnarvon's quest for Egyptian treasure, how he met Howard Carter, and their eventual uncovering of the tomb and the long process of opening it and documenting all that it held. Along the way, Fleming relates the rumors of curses that started appearing in the news and society around the tomb and people involved, and she concludes the book with a serious look at whether or not the curse had any founding or not.
I've read a couple other books on these men and Tut's tomb, but none aimed at young adults. I had the chance to listen to an audio version of this as soon as it came out, but I know that Fleming is meticulous about the visuals that get included in her nonfiction books for teens so I held off to read the physical copy so I could get the full effect. The wait was worth it. This is loaded with photos and illustrations from the time period that really help everything come to life. The parts on the curse actually can get a bit creepy at times, and there's no discounting those rumors until the very end of the book, so know the reader you hand this to. As always, Fleming's research has been meticulous and it shows. This is so well done, with loads of details I've never read in any of the other books on this topic (but are documented in primary sources as the detailed bibliography relates). And it is extremely readable too. I devoured this in less than 24 hours. The way Egyptian and British and French authorities clashed over this find, and how they eventually found a resolution (and why the relics stayed in Egypt) were points I had never heard before and it was a fascinating turning point in Egyptian archaeology. Highly recommended for curious teen readers, reluctant history readers, and those interested in all things Egypt.
Notes on content: No language issues beyond some British swearing in quotes (which won't even make Americans bat an eyelash). No sexual content. There are deaths mentioned, most related to rumors of the curse. The mummification process is also described.
I've read a couple other books on these men and Tut's tomb, but none aimed at young adults. I had the chance to listen to an audio version of this as soon as it came out, but I know that Fleming is meticulous about the visuals that get included in her nonfiction books for teens so I held off to read the physical copy so I could get the full effect. The wait was worth it. This is loaded with photos and illustrations from the time period that really help everything come to life. The parts on the curse actually can get a bit creepy at times, and there's no discounting those rumors until the very end of the book, so know the reader you hand this to. As always, Fleming's research has been meticulous and it shows. This is so well done, with loads of details I've never read in any of the other books on this topic (but are documented in primary sources as the detailed bibliography relates). And it is extremely readable too. I devoured this in less than 24 hours. The way Egyptian and British and French authorities clashed over this find, and how they eventually found a resolution (and why the relics stayed in Egypt) were points I had never heard before and it was a fascinating turning point in Egyptian archaeology. Highly recommended for curious teen readers, reluctant history readers, and those interested in all things Egypt.
Notes on content: No language issues beyond some British swearing in quotes (which won't even make Americans bat an eyelash). No sexual content. There are deaths mentioned, most related to rumors of the curse. The mummification process is also described.
October 5, 2021
Scholastic provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Join my community of book lovers here: https://www.facebook.com/Bliss-Books-...
I remember reading about the discovery of King Tutankhamun's Tomb in junior high but I can safely say it was not the detailed version that Candace Fleming puts together in The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb.
It's true that readers will get a brief summary of King Tutankhmun's reign and history, but The Curse of the Mummy is essentially a story about how two British citizens, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, got caught up in the Egypt mania. Desperate to find King Tutankhamun’s tomb, the two employed Egyptian people to excavate the tomb. The majority of the book is filled with details and stories of the actual excavation and includes tidbits of the group stood watch over the site to prevent other grave robbers from getting their hands on any loot.
Several of the chapters in The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb begin with some sort of rumor or lore. These tidbits are printed on black paper and they are easy to track as stories that circled around during the dig. In addition to some of these creepy stories, The Curse of the Mummy is a solid story of just how the British colonizers absolutely took over and pillaged the land and artifacts from the Egyptian people. To me, that is the key of this book. The country of Egypt was essentially pilfered before it began pushing back against colonizer rule.
The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb has a plethora of really good photos throughout the dig. Each photo has a short blurb of what the reader is seeing and these descriptions are pretty descriptive, noting the small details that the reader show pay attention to like small holes made from previous robbers.
I found The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb to be a really interesting look into the excavation process and a deep dive into the two very flawed men responsible for the discovery of the Boy King’s tomb.
Join my community of book lovers here: https://www.facebook.com/Bliss-Books-...
I remember reading about the discovery of King Tutankhamun's Tomb in junior high but I can safely say it was not the detailed version that Candace Fleming puts together in The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb.
It's true that readers will get a brief summary of King Tutankhmun's reign and history, but The Curse of the Mummy is essentially a story about how two British citizens, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, got caught up in the Egypt mania. Desperate to find King Tutankhamun’s tomb, the two employed Egyptian people to excavate the tomb. The majority of the book is filled with details and stories of the actual excavation and includes tidbits of the group stood watch over the site to prevent other grave robbers from getting their hands on any loot.
Several of the chapters in The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb begin with some sort of rumor or lore. These tidbits are printed on black paper and they are easy to track as stories that circled around during the dig. In addition to some of these creepy stories, The Curse of the Mummy is a solid story of just how the British colonizers absolutely took over and pillaged the land and artifacts from the Egyptian people. To me, that is the key of this book. The country of Egypt was essentially pilfered before it began pushing back against colonizer rule.
The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb has a plethora of really good photos throughout the dig. Each photo has a short blurb of what the reader is seeing and these descriptions are pretty descriptive, noting the small details that the reader show pay attention to like small holes made from previous robbers.
I found The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb to be a really interesting look into the excavation process and a deep dive into the two very flawed men responsible for the discovery of the Boy King’s tomb.
June 26, 2021
Reviewed from an ARC from Scholastic.
This book is not about the life of King "Tut", rather it is about his burial and the search for his tomb.
Detailed descriptions of the whats, whys, and hows of Tutankhamun's burial in his tomb are extended into a tale of the ages - all the way to the early 1900's, when the hidden tomb was found intact and excavated carefully, preserving the contents for the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Interwoven in the text are passages titled "It is said..." Each details the many ways that those who disturbed the remains of the young pharaoh in this process appear to have been touched by a "curse".
Oh my, this woman can write! Fleming brings intrigue, emotion, and fact together to build this compelling story from history about the excavation of the tomb of Tut. She fleshes out each player - between text and B&W photos - building a connection to them and an immediacy for the action taking place. She carefully explains processes and actions taken to give the reader a firm foundation of understanding. The inclusion of 13 (an unlucky number?) instances of coincidental death surrounding those exploring the tomb adds a chilling sensation to the telling, without being sensational or over the top. It is sure to appeal to fans of Indiana Jones stories...except this tale is true! Inclusion of maps of Egypt and the Valley of the Kings is helpful to build perspective. (An error of Egypt in the front matter shows Alexandria to lie in the Mediterranean Ocean, not on the coast of Egypt.). Black and white photos throughout help bring the events to life. Backmatter includes a timeline of Ancient Egyptian history, bibliography, source notes, and index to come.
A must for mummy-philes and lovers of Egyptian lore.
Highly Recommended for grades 4-8.
This book is not about the life of King "Tut", rather it is about his burial and the search for his tomb.
Detailed descriptions of the whats, whys, and hows of Tutankhamun's burial in his tomb are extended into a tale of the ages - all the way to the early 1900's, when the hidden tomb was found intact and excavated carefully, preserving the contents for the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Interwoven in the text are passages titled "It is said..." Each details the many ways that those who disturbed the remains of the young pharaoh in this process appear to have been touched by a "curse".
Oh my, this woman can write! Fleming brings intrigue, emotion, and fact together to build this compelling story from history about the excavation of the tomb of Tut. She fleshes out each player - between text and B&W photos - building a connection to them and an immediacy for the action taking place. She carefully explains processes and actions taken to give the reader a firm foundation of understanding. The inclusion of 13 (an unlucky number?) instances of coincidental death surrounding those exploring the tomb adds a chilling sensation to the telling, without being sensational or over the top. It is sure to appeal to fans of Indiana Jones stories...except this tale is true! Inclusion of maps of Egypt and the Valley of the Kings is helpful to build perspective. (An error of Egypt in the front matter shows Alexandria to lie in the Mediterranean Ocean, not on the coast of Egypt.). Black and white photos throughout help bring the events to life. Backmatter includes a timeline of Ancient Egyptian history, bibliography, source notes, and index to come.
A must for mummy-philes and lovers of Egyptian lore.
Highly Recommended for grades 4-8.
January 16, 2023
First sentence: It was said...the boy king's tomb was cursed.
Premise/plot: The Curse of the Mummy is middle grade nonfiction. (Though I could see upper elementary grade students seeking this out if there is an interest in the subject.) It is the true story of the search for and discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of Kings. It explores the mythology--urban legend-izing--of the so-called "curse" that plagued any and all that came into contact with ancient Egyptian artifacts. It clarifies that there was no actual "curse." It looks at how that built up and became a thing...[but how there was no basis of truth in it.]
It is set mainly in Egypt in the 1910s and 1920s. It covers a tiny bit the controversy of who owns these artifacts and how they should be treated. Or should have been treated (but weren't.)
My thoughts: Sixth-grade me would have absolutely loved, loved, loved, loved this one. Sixth grade was a big [memorable] field trip year for me. I've been interested in Ancient Egypt and Egyptian mythology ever since. So adult-me is still excited to have read this one. I do think I read more nonfiction as an adult than I did as a kid. [I think the quality and quantity are better.]
I really enjoyed this one. I read a physical library book copy of this one. The printing seemed a bit off. Some pages looked like copies-of-copies. [Are photocopies even still a thing????] Some text was gray instead of black. [And I don't think it was meant to be.] All of the sections about the curse were black background and white text. Some of these black pages were more gray than black. Again I don't think this was intentional. But technical printing issues aside, I'm very glad I read this one!!!
Premise/plot: The Curse of the Mummy is middle grade nonfiction. (Though I could see upper elementary grade students seeking this out if there is an interest in the subject.) It is the true story of the search for and discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of Kings. It explores the mythology--urban legend-izing--of the so-called "curse" that plagued any and all that came into contact with ancient Egyptian artifacts. It clarifies that there was no actual "curse." It looks at how that built up and became a thing...[but how there was no basis of truth in it.]
It is set mainly in Egypt in the 1910s and 1920s. It covers a tiny bit the controversy of who owns these artifacts and how they should be treated. Or should have been treated (but weren't.)
My thoughts: Sixth-grade me would have absolutely loved, loved, loved, loved this one. Sixth grade was a big [memorable] field trip year for me. I've been interested in Ancient Egypt and Egyptian mythology ever since. So adult-me is still excited to have read this one. I do think I read more nonfiction as an adult than I did as a kid. [I think the quality and quantity are better.]
I really enjoyed this one. I read a physical library book copy of this one. The printing seemed a bit off. Some pages looked like copies-of-copies. [Are photocopies even still a thing????] Some text was gray instead of black. [And I don't think it was meant to be.] All of the sections about the curse were black background and white text. Some of these black pages were more gray than black. Again I don't think this was intentional. But technical printing issues aside, I'm very glad I read this one!!!
January 4, 2022
A bit slow to start, but once we get close to finding King Tut it gets exciting. Fleming intersperses the narrative with creepy stories about the supposed curse of Egyptian artifacts. As an adult, I didn't actually find these scary -- but if a young reader is at all open to occult Ouji Board-type stuff they might be a little freaked out. Of course, by the end of the book, it's clear that all the hype over curses was nonsense.
The thing that was super interesting to me, though not the focus of the book, was the succession of rulers/conquerers/colonizers in Egypt, from the Pharaohs to the Persians to the Greeks to the Romans to the Caliphates to the Ottomans to the French to the British and (finally!) back to the Egyptians. Fleming focuses on the tension between the British and the Egyptians over who the artifacts belong to (obviously they should belong to the Egyptians, but rich British men funded the excavation efforts expecting to make a profit).
Many photographs are included. It's so sad and telling that all of the British and French people are named and almost all of the Egyptian people are listed as "unnamed."
There are difficult questions in this book about what right modern people have to disturb ancient graves. Of course, we are curious about ancient civilizations. And some feel enough time has passed that we can excavate in the name of history and science. But Fleming asks why the Egyptologists seemed to feel no compunction about what they were doing. Maybe the legend of the curse came from the very real feeling that there ought to be consequences for disturbing burial grounds.
The thing that was super interesting to me, though not the focus of the book, was the succession of rulers/conquerers/colonizers in Egypt, from the Pharaohs to the Persians to the Greeks to the Romans to the Caliphates to the Ottomans to the French to the British and (finally!) back to the Egyptians. Fleming focuses on the tension between the British and the Egyptians over who the artifacts belong to (obviously they should belong to the Egyptians, but rich British men funded the excavation efforts expecting to make a profit).
Many photographs are included. It's so sad and telling that all of the British and French people are named and almost all of the Egyptian people are listed as "unnamed."
There are difficult questions in this book about what right modern people have to disturb ancient graves. Of course, we are curious about ancient civilizations. And some feel enough time has passed that we can excavate in the name of history and science. But Fleming asks why the Egyptologists seemed to feel no compunction about what they were doing. Maybe the legend of the curse came from the very real feeling that there ought to be consequences for disturbing burial grounds.
January 13, 2022
Author Candance Fleming is a master of narrative nonfiction, and she shines again in this account of the efforts to discover and then unearth King Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt. Readers will be able to feel the sense of frustration at years of failed efforts on the part of Lord Carnarvon, who bankrolled the digs, and Howard Carter, who found and opened the tomb as well as the awe they experienced when their hopes were realized. Fleming includes so many fascinating details and descriptions of the treasures that were found in the tomb as well as Carter's painstaking efforts to document the finds as they were being removed. Additionally, she carefully addresses the conflict between the British and Egyptians over the issue of who could claim ownership for these materials. The main narrative is broken up by several vignettes about the presumed curse that lay over the tomb of this boy king. Each one begins with the phrase "It was said..." so that readers can decide for themselves whether there was any truth to those whisperings. Along with archival photographs and photos taken by the author, the text itself is spellbinding, sure to captivate those with any interest in the pharaohs and the Egyptians' death rituals or those who might wonder what else is buried in those sands. I was mesmerized by every page and blown away by the riches Carter's archeological team unearthed. Interestingly, often the Egyptian diggers were not identified by name in text or photos, a sign of the class system and attitude toward those not from Britain that existed during those times (the 1920s).
August 30, 2021
The novel tells the story of the search for Tutankhamun's tomb. Many people believed that the dig unleashed a curse. The treasures found within the tomb was heavily debated who owned them and whether or not foreigners should be digging for them.
The boy pharaoh Tutankhamun ruled and died young and his followers had prepared him for the afterlife. His tomb was filled with treasure and goodies that he would need for the afterlife. His tomb was raided a few times but, then the sands from the Valley of the Kings had buried the tomb and it was lost to time.
Centuries has passed while the tomb has sat under the sand and sun undisturbed. Europeans were obsessed with Egypt and two Brits decide to try their hand at hunting for the lost tombs in Egypt. One was a rich earl who likes to gamble and the another is an archeologist who no one wants to work with. The pair worked together for years to find and open Tutankhamun's tomb.
I found the book to be an engrossing and thrilling read. The book is marketed towards young readers but, I found myself to be spellbound while reading it. The author did a good job at keeping readers charmed and engrossed with the book. I loved that the author included photos and little breaks in the chapters that told of "weird" coincidences. I am definitely open to reading more books by the author.
The boy pharaoh Tutankhamun ruled and died young and his followers had prepared him for the afterlife. His tomb was filled with treasure and goodies that he would need for the afterlife. His tomb was raided a few times but, then the sands from the Valley of the Kings had buried the tomb and it was lost to time.
Centuries has passed while the tomb has sat under the sand and sun undisturbed. Europeans were obsessed with Egypt and two Brits decide to try their hand at hunting for the lost tombs in Egypt. One was a rich earl who likes to gamble and the another is an archeologist who no one wants to work with. The pair worked together for years to find and open Tutankhamun's tomb.
I found the book to be an engrossing and thrilling read. The book is marketed towards young readers but, I found myself to be spellbound while reading it. The author did a good job at keeping readers charmed and engrossed with the book. I loved that the author included photos and little breaks in the chapters that told of "weird" coincidences. I am definitely open to reading more books by the author.
December 23, 2022
Everything you need to know about Tutankhamun's tomb excavation is right here in this book. The level of detail is impressive. Fleming seriously did her research.
This book clarified a lot of misconceptions I had about King Tut. I thought he was buried in a tomb in a pyramid. Most of Egypt's kings were buried in the Valley of Kings, a nondescript, rocky, hilly, barren landscape south of the pyramids. I also had no idea Tut's body was laid inside three coffins, inside a sarcophagus, inside four shrines. Fascinating stuff.
The book begins with a possible scenario of grave robbers getting into the tomb shortly after burial. Then it shifts to a geologic explanation for how this tomb escaped centuries of discovery. Then it moves to the two men, a wealthy British earl and a self-taught archeologist, who ultimately partner together and uncover the tomb against the odds. From there, no detail is left out about every inch of the tomb and the painstaking efforts that went into preserving every artifact. The book is chock full of photographs and drawings. The photographs are vital for bringing the story to life.
So glad I found this book and now have a complete understanding of this amazing discovery.
This book clarified a lot of misconceptions I had about King Tut. I thought he was buried in a tomb in a pyramid. Most of Egypt's kings were buried in the Valley of Kings, a nondescript, rocky, hilly, barren landscape south of the pyramids. I also had no idea Tut's body was laid inside three coffins, inside a sarcophagus, inside four shrines. Fascinating stuff.
The book begins with a possible scenario of grave robbers getting into the tomb shortly after burial. Then it shifts to a geologic explanation for how this tomb escaped centuries of discovery. Then it moves to the two men, a wealthy British earl and a self-taught archeologist, who ultimately partner together and uncover the tomb against the odds. From there, no detail is left out about every inch of the tomb and the painstaking efforts that went into preserving every artifact. The book is chock full of photographs and drawings. The photographs are vital for bringing the story to life.
So glad I found this book and now have a complete understanding of this amazing discovery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews