The Tutankhamun Deception: The Truth Behind the Mummy's Curse [Hardcover]

The rest of the book is mainly devoted to O'Farrell's bizarre theory that Carter and Carnarvon broke into Tut's tomb, through a wall in the tomb of Rameses VI, systematically robbing it of fourth-fifths of it's content, between the years 1914 - 1922, before making the discovery official. Worse, he suggests that Carter, somehow, removed the lid of the sarcophagus, having first dismantled the surrounding wooden shrines, and replaced it with another to conceal the true identity of the occupant.

The reader is also asked to believe that the mummy's curse was really a 'string of necessary murders', to dispose of those who had knowledge of papyrus documents found in the tomb by Carter and Carnarvon. Their content, O'Farrell suggests, revealed 'that Jesus and Joshua are one and the same - and that both are Tutankhamun'. He further claims that the papyri were hidden in the hollowed-out skirts of the two guardian statues found in the antechamber. Yet despite having quoted from Nicolas Reeves' 'The Complete Tutankhamun', he omits to mention that Reeves clearly states on p. 129 "Sadly, recent X-ray examination of the statues has shown each to be solid, with no indication of the postulated hollow".

This is a poorly researched book with the author allowing his imagination to run wild. Its one saving grace is that it is well written, and so it should have been, it was ghost written by Andrew Crofts!

Many of the author's claims are fascinating and feasible, though there is precious little evidence or proof.

Mr O'Farrell claims on several occasions that anomalies in the tomb are the result of Carter and Carnarvon's clandestine activities, rather than haste and carelessness on the part of the original burial party. More than once he questions whether pious priests would be so careless, as for instance in the case of the wrong orientation of the shrines surrounding the sarcophagus. Several other authors have attributed such mistakes to the political and religious climate at the time of Tutankhamun's death. One of his immediate predecessors was the so-called heretic king, Tutanhkamun had elected or been forced to restore the "old" religion, and some believe he was murdered - are these not grounds to explain why his burial was undertaken in haste?

The whereabouts of the stolen treasure is not accounted for. It was supposedly sold to private individuals and museums, though presumably not attributed to Tutankhamun's treasure. It is hard to imagine how so many priceless items could have vanished into collections around the world without someone somewhere making a connection with the tomb.

Much is made of British and American dominance of archaeology at the time, and the arrogance that went with it. This was undoubtedly distasteful, particularly the flouting of regulations established by the Egyptian authorities. It is hard, however, to accept the author's assertions that both Carter and Carnarvon were vainglorious and greedy egomaniacs.

There ARE unanswered questions which put Carter and Carnarvon under suspicion (eg the uncatalogued lotus head of the boy king found in a wine crate in Carter's laboratory) but this book does not prove the theories it puts forward. Those theories are however a very good read, and might hopefully form the basis for further investigation.

There are however several subsequent chapters which are a challenge to even the most open-minded reader. Describing the opening of the sarcophagus and the interlocking coffins, the author asserts that in all likelihood the tomb was not that of Tutankhamun but of his brother Smenkhare (p150). In a later chapter papyri allegedly found in the kilts of the two sentinel statues were rapidly suppressed by Carter and Carnarvon because the pharaonic family history related in them identified Akhenaten as Moses and Tutankhamun as Jesus. "The establishment" then went on a killing spree under the guise of the mummy's curse to silence anyone with knowledge of the papyri or their contents.

In summary, the earlier chapters covering the alleged deception by Carter and Carnarvon certainly give found for thought. However, in my view, the later portion of the book should have been published separately. The theories about Akhenaten being Moses and Tutankhamun being the Messiah belong elsewhere. I am not sure where to put the idea that Sigmund Freud was murdered for believing in such theories.

There are other explanations for certain anomalies in the tomb that the author does not give enough credence too, such as the tomb being rushed due to the sudden death and possible murder of it's occupant. Indeed he does not mention the fact that this was not the tomb originally intended for Tutankhamun, and that his successor Ay was buried in the tomb intended for him - a significant fact in my view. However, his opinion on the layout of the tomb is worth exploring further, although the book would have benefitted from some maps to aid the reader in understand the supposed alterations. I also find it hard to believe that an archaeologist who clearly had the passion for Egypt that Carter did would destroy objects in the tomb such as chariots to cover his tracks. Pinching a few objects maybe, but the wholsale destruction of artefacts I just cant believe.

The second theory of the book is where the author really does seem to lose touch with reality. Whilst his claims that papyri from the tomb were destroyed in order to cover up the fact that Akenaten was Moses and Tutankhamun was Jesus are undoubtedly headline grabbing, they are totally unjustifiable. He provides no evidence for this other than the holder in the statues he believes held the papyri being empty. Sure they could have held papyri, but I can only assume he has some sixth sense that enables him to see what was on the missing papyri. There are many flaws in this story that even the most inexperienced reader of Egyptology could see.

All in all, a worthwhile read and interesting enough but the vast majority is speculation without much evidence and some of it, well, positively comedic.