They can irritate, infect and ultimately damage the eyes, skin, lungs, mucous membranes, respiratory tract, stomach and intestines. Experts think it unlikely. They did, however, recognize the power of the written word. In fact, Egyptians believed that if you wrote a statement, drew a picture or spoke something aloud, those things would come true. Lisa Schwappach, curator of the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in California, says tomb curses became a handy deterrent for enemies of the deceased who wished to literally erase the individual and all his chances of entering akh, the glorified, heavenly state of being.
Tombs also are easy pickings for thieves because they contain valuables.
Threats on walls sought to deter robbers from stealing these objects. Virtual Mummy Curses aside, researchers and archaeologists now take precautions when entering tombs or examining burial finds. William Peck, curator of ancient art at the Detroit Institute of Arts, was one of the last individuals in this country to autopsy a mummy. He says archaeologists from the early part of this century did not realize dust released while unwrapping a mummy could lead to diseases. Today, Peck and other scientists protect themselves by wearing rubber gloves, masks and body suits.