Unlucky Mummy, from Egypt: what it is and what people believe

The Unlucky Mummy is a painted wooden mummy-board from the late 21st Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. It sits in the British Museum in London and has gained a reputation for bringing bad luck to those who handle it or study it closely.

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It is a wooden board, not a real mummy.
Made in Thebes around 950 BC.
Sits in the British Museum in London.
Bertram Fletcher Robinson died after researching it.
Conan Doyle blamed spirits for his death.

What it is

The Unlucky Mummy is not a preserved body but a painted wooden mummy-board. This artifact covers the chest of a mummified woman and dates to around 950 BC. It was made in Thebes during the late 21st Dynasty. The board features a beardless face and hands with extended fingers. It stands 162 centimetres tall. The British Museum acquired it in 1889. Its serial number is EA 22542. The identity of the woman remains unknown. Short religious phrases appear on the wood, but her name is missing. Early curators called her a priestess of Amen-Ra. Modern scholars see this as speculation without proof.

Where it comes from

The board comes from Thebes in Egypt. It belongs to the late 21st or early 22nd Dynasty. The style of decoration helps date it to roughly 950–900 BC. High quality suggests the owner held high rank. Women of status often supported temple rituals. The museum received the item from Mrs Warwick Hunt. She donated it on behalf of Mr Arthur F Wheeler. The donation happened in July 1889. The original mummy it covered stayed in Egypt. It never entered any collection.

How it is done

No ritual method exists today. The object is a static artifact. It sits behind glass in Room 62 of the British Museum. It has been on public view since the 1890s. It was removed during the World Wars for safety. It traveled to Australia in 1990. It went to Taiwan in 2007. These moves sparked new rumors. The museum published a disclaimer in 1934. The text denied the curse claims. The myths continued regardless.

Tools and materials

The board uses wood and plaster. Paint covers the surface details. Hands protrude from the main structure. The face shows no beard. This indicates a female subject. No magical tools are used now. It is purely an archaeological piece.

Unlucky Mummy, drawn and placed

Emblem With the eye shape. Drawn from this page, not a photograph.

Living
Revived
Fading
Historical
Legendary
Performed

Standing: Historical Documented in the past; no continuous living tradition today. This says whether people still do it, not whether it works.

An eye: in this guide it stands for protection against envy and the evil eye, a belief found from the Mediterranean to South Asia.

Lineage: Ancient Egyptian funerary practice

Where it sits The tradition it belongs to, and when it is done.

What it is for

People believe the board brings misfortune. Stories claim it causes death and injury. Some say it caused large disasters. One tale places it on the Titanic. These stories lack factual basis. They persist despite museum denials. Writers and researchers have feared it. Bertram Fletcher Robinson studied it. He died young after his research. Conan Doyle linked his death to the board. He suggested evil spirits acted through typhoid fever.

Who does it

No living practitioners use this object. Scholars and journalists have studied it. Bertram Fletcher Robinson researched it in 1904. He worked for the Daily Express. He believed the object had malevolent powers. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle commented on it. He spoke about spiritualism and curses. He connected Robinson’s death to the board. Doyle warned Robinson against studying it. He thought fate was being tempted.

Peoples and places

The belief lives in English-speaking cultures. The British Museum holds the object. Rumors spread through newspapers and books. Alan Moore featured it in From Hell. He described it as a cursed case. He noted a trail of death and illness. Owners passed it through auction houses. Dr Gull views it in the graphic novel. The myth travels with the story. It does not belong to a specific modern community.

At a glance: who, where and when

Peoples

Ancient Egyptians

Belief worlds

Indigenous and shamanic

What people believe

The curse relies on spiritual forces. Doyle mentioned elementals guarding the mummy. He said they guide people into danger. Typhoid fever becomes their weapon. Lord Carnarvon’s death supports this view. Carter opened Tutankhamun’s tomb nearby. The timing links the events. People fear hidden powers in artifacts. They think objects hold memories. Those memories can harm the living. The board acts as a vessel for these fears.

When it is done

No specific calendar dates apply. The object appears in exhibitions. It moved to Australia in 1990. It visited Taiwan in 2007. These events trigger media interest. The 1934 disclaimer marked a response. Robinson’s research started in 1904. His death came three years later. Conan Doyle spoke in April 1923. These moments keep the myth alive.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Anthropologists study the rumor culture. Luckhurst wrote about artefaction. He analyzed how museums handle myths. The British Museum denies the curse. Budge wrote a formal statement. He rejected the supernatural claims. Skeptics point to coincidence. Robinson died of disease. Natural causes explain most deaths. The Titanic story is pure fiction. Scholars separate history from hype.

Cautions and what is closed

The object poses no physical danger. It sits safely in a museum case. The real risk lies in belief. People may feel unlucky near it. Fraudsters might sell fake curses. The myth exploits curiosity. No one should fear the artifact. It is wood and paint only. Historical context matters more than magic. Researchers treat it as a cultural phenomenon.

Compare and confuse

It shares traits with other cursed objects. The Titanic story mirrors other maritime myths. Robinson’s death resembles other journalist tragedies. Conan Doyle’s comments link it to pharaoh curses. Many artifacts gain reputations over time. The British Museum handles many such items. The Unlucky Mummy stands out due to volume. It has generated more rumors than most.

Questions people ask about Unlucky Mummy

What is the Unlucky Mummy?

It is a painted wooden mummy-board from Ancient Egypt. It dates to 950 BC. It covers a woman’s chest. It sits in the British Museum. It is not a preserved body.

Where did it come from?

It comes from Thebes in Egypt. It belongs to the 21st Dynasty. The British Museum bought it in 1889. A donor gave it to them. The original mummy stayed in Egypt.

Why is it considered unlucky?

Myths claim it brings death and disaster. Bertram Fletcher Robinson died after studying it. Conan Doyle blamed spirits. These stories lack proof. They spread through newspapers and books.

Is there a real curse?

No scientific evidence supports a curse. The museum issued a denial in 1934. Deaths linked to it have natural causes. The Titanic story is fictional. It is a cultural legend.

Who believes in the curse today?

Some readers of folklore believe it. Writers like Alan Moore reference it. Most scholars see it as a myth. The museum treats it as art. Belief persists in popular culture.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Unlucky Mummy", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Names and customs differ from one community to the next, and some knowledge is closed to outsiders and left out here. This page describes belief and practice. It does not say that any of it works, it is not a how-to, and it is not medical advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-06.

Unlucky Mummy