As
the
search continues for the resting place of Cleopatra, archaeologists and
treasure hunters are warned not to disturb the Pharaoh's tombs or suffer a
horrible death, typically by the resurrection from the afterlife, or undead
mummies,
who lay in wait, perpetually guarding the gilded mausoleums, laden with
riches.
Cleopatra's Needle in London is a fascinating ancient Egyptian obelisk with a dramatic history and some intriguing tales associated with it.
ABOUT CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE
Ancient Origins: Despite its popular name, the obelisk has little direct connection to Cleopatra. It was originally carved around 1450 BCE for Pharaoh Thutmose III and erected at the Temple of the Sun in Heliopolis (modern-day Cairo). Later, during the reign of Augustus in 12 BCE, it was moved to
Alexandria, where Cleopatra had begun building a temple. It remained there for over 1,800 years, eventually toppling and becoming partially buried in sand.
A Gift to Britain: In 1819, Muhammad Ali, the ruler of Egypt and Sudan, presented the obelisk to the British government as a gift. This was to commemorate British victories over Napoleon at the
Battle of the Nile (1798) and the Battle of Alexandria (1801).
The Challenging Journey: Transporting the massive, 21-meter tall, 200-tonne granite obelisk to London was a monumental task. The British government initially declined to fund the move due to the immense cost. Eventually, in 1877, Sir William James Erasmus Wilson, a wealthy anatomist and dermatologist, sponsored its transportation. An innovative iron cylinder, nicknamed
"Cleopatra," was built around the obelisk. This vessel, complete with a deckhouse, mast, rudder, and steering gear, was then towed by a steamship called the Olga.
Disaster at Sea: The journey was fraught with peril. In October 1877, a violent storm in the Bay of Biscay struck, causing the towropes to be cut. Six men from the Olga tragically drowned in an attempt to rescue the crew aboard the
Cleopatra. The Cleopatra was assumed lost, but miraculously, it was spotted days later drifting in the Bay and eventually towed to Spain. From there, it was brought to England by another tug.
Arrival in London: The obelisk finally arrived in the Thames on January 21, 1878, to much public excitement. It was eventually erected on the Victoria Embankment on September 12, 1878, flanked by two bronze sphinxes (which were mistakenly placed facing inwards instead of outwards, a common architectural error). A time capsule containing various Victorian items, including photographs of the "best-looking English women of the day," was placed beneath its pedestal.
THE "CURSE" OF CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE
While there isn't a widely recognized historical "curse" directly linked to the London obelisk in the same vein as the more famous "Curse of the Pharaohs" associated with King Tutankhamun's tomb, there have been some anecdotal and fictionalized accounts of unusual occurrences:
Deaths during Transport: The most significant "calamity" associated with the Needle is the loss of six sailors during its perilous journey across the Bay of Biscay. These men are commemorated on a plaque at the base of the obelisk. Some might interpret this as an early manifestation of a "curse" for disturbing the ancient monument.
Ghostly Sightings: There have been reports of strange occurrences around the obelisk, including unearthly laughter and the sighting of a ghostly, naked man who reportedly runs from behind the obelisk and jumps into the Thames without a splash. Some speculate this could be the ghost of one of the drowned sailors.
Unexplained Incidents: In the late 19th century, a woman named Miss Davies reportedly felt an irresistible pull towards the Needle, heard unearthly laughter, and threw herself into the Thames. She later described terrifying nightmares involving a tall, white-faced woman with black almond eyes and sharp teeth, which she attributed to the obelisk.
Literary Influence: The idea of a "Curse of Cleopatra's Needle" has been popularized in fiction, such as the "Sherlock and Lucy" mystery series by Anna Elliott, where a murder takes place at the base of the obelisk and is linked to
Egyptian revolutionaries.
Occult Stories: There are even unsubstantiated tales of occultist Aleister Crowley performing dark rituals at the base of the obelisk in the 1880s, reportedly to release Ramesses' trapped spirit by feeding animal blood to a human skeleton.
It's important to distinguish between these intriguing stories and verifiable historical curses. While the journey of Cleopatra's Needle was undoubtedly dramatic and resulted in tragic loss of life, the idea of a malevolent curse is primarily rooted in folklore, speculation, and fictional narratives rather than concrete historical evidence. Nonetheless, these tales add to the mystique of this ancient artifact in the heart of London.
Cleopatra
sacrificed herself to curse Rome and enter the Duat, passage to regeneration
In
ancient
Egypt, curses were placed on sacred objects and possessions to stop people from disturbing them. The curse is what will happen to anyone who doesn't heed the warning. The first people to fear mummy's were Arabs who conquered Egypt in 641. The Arab writer's warned people never to tamper with the mummy's or their tombs because they knew Egyptian's practiced magic during the funeral ceremonies.
The interior of a sacred tomb contained ancient writings and paintings that showed mummy's could return to the living and seek revenge. The idea of curses being linked with mummy's has engaged people for centuries. The first published book about an Egyptian curse was published in 1699 and hundreds more followed. The most popular stories of a mummy's curse was the real life opening of King
Tutankhamen's tomb in 1923 which gained international attention.
A
superb depiction of Cleopatra taking her own life, unlikely to have been by
the handling of a snake, but could well have been by an asp in a basket of
fruit. Most probably with a concoction of drugs to ease the pain.
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