"Carter states plainly that he believed the curse story came from Weigall and that it had no factual basis. The letter is unusually direct."
"Carter expressed relief at Weigall's death, labeling him a 'menace to archaeology' who pursued short-term 'excitement and amusement at the expense of others.'"
"In order to finance the excavation, Lord Carnarvon granted the Times of London exclusive access in exchange for £5,000, creating animosity from reporters at other newspapers."
"Weigall, cut off from Carter's daily updates, spun his reactions into sensational stories that contributed to the myth of the curse."
Howard Carter dismissed the 'Curse of the Pharaohs' as a myth, attributing its origin to journalist Arthur Weigall, who was upset over being excluded from exclusive coverage of Tutankhamun's tomb. In a letter written after Weigall's death, Carter expressed relief, labeling Weigall a 'menace to archaeology.' The letter, which sold for $16,643, reveals the tensions surrounding the excavation and the financial arrangements that led to exclusive media access, causing resentment among other journalists.
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