Damage and Preservation of Ancient Egyptian Tomb Murals

Abstract

The curse of the mummy has been sensationalized in the media for years, but has been proven untrue with no biological explanation. Even though bacteria and fungi found in ancient Egyptian tombs are not actively killing people, they are still causing problems, specifically to the wall murals inside of the tombs. These problems include color changes, mystery brown spots, and issues with the mural’s structure. Recently there has been increased interest in research about the types of bacteria, molds, and fungi that are present in Egyptian tombs, their effect on tomb wall art, and what can be done to protect the art so it can be enjoyed by future generations. In this review, I will analyze the actual effect of these bacteria, molds, and fungi on ancient Egyptian tomb art, how we can combat these microbial free riders, and the negative effects murals experience due to human interaction.