There’s something inherently spooky about ancient Egypt: the pyramids, the hieroglyphs, and of course, the mummies. Wrapped up in both history and legend, mummies have been creeping their way into horror for decades. But what’s really behind these bandaged figures—and are we disturbing more than dust when we pry open those ancient tombs?
Mummies on the March in Movies
In The Monster Squad (1987), the mummy doesn’t get as much screen time as his monstrous colleagues, but he's there, reminding us all why we should leave ancient tombs sealed. Of course, the real mummy mania began with Boris Karloff’s The Mummy (1932), where the slow, inevitable dread of the mummy’s curse took centre stage. Fast forward to the 1999 The Mummy film starring Brendan Fraser, and mummies became action-packed, supernatural beings bent on revenge—with just a hint of romance.
From silent horrors to modern-day reboots, mummies have shuffled their way into horror history, sometimes a bit more dusty than their fellow monsters but no less terrifying.
"Death is only the beginning." — Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) The Mummy (1999)
The Curse of Tutankhamun and the Birth of the Mummy Legend
Unlike Frankenstein or Dracula, the mummy legend isn’t based on a specific book or a single creator. Instead, it stems from the early 20th century and the real-world discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. When members of the expedition began dying under mysterious circumstances, rumours of a “curse of the pharaohs” started swirling. It wasn’t long before the image of vengeful mummies began creeping into pop culture.
While there’s no ancient mummy story on par with Dracula, authors like Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes) and H. Rider Haggard penned stories of cursed tombs and reanimated mummies. The fascination with ancient Egypt, mixed with fears of the unknown, made the mummy a perfect candidate for the growing genre of supernatural horror.
Why So Many Curses?
Mummy stories tend to revolve around curses for a reason: they play into our fear of the consequences of disturbing the dead. During the British Empire’s exploration of Egypt, there was a hunger for new archaeological finds, but it also sparked fears about tampering with ancient history. What secrets were buried in those tombs, and what might happen if we meddled with things we didn’t understand?
The fascination with eternal life and the mysteries of the afterlife were key elements, too. Mummies symbolized both the desire for immortality and the fear of what that immortality might look like—because let's be honest, 3,000 years in a tomb doesn’t exactly do wonders for your skin.
An Exotic Obsession: The Age of Exploration
In the early 1900s, British archaeologists uncovered Egypt’s hidden treasures, sparking a worldwide craze for all things pharaonic. People were obsessed with ancient Egypt’s secrets, and stories of curses, mummies, and lost treasures flourished. But it wasn’t just about adventure—it was also about the fear of the unknown. What ancient powers might we accidentally unleash by opening tombs long sealed shut?
Mummies: Wrapping It All Up
Mummies might seem slow, but their legacy is fast-moving. Whether as tragic victims of misguided archaeology or terrifying creatures bent on revenge, mummies remind us that some things are better left buried. And if you ever find yourself in a desert with a sarcophagus nearby, maybe just take a pass on opening it. You never know when an ancient king might be having a really long nap.
