A British woman believes her family is “cursed” because her great-great-grandfather helped discover Tutankhamun’s tomb. Micah Sheldrake, 23, claims her family is “constantly swerving death” and believes their bad luck stems from a curse.
Her great-great-grandfather, Ernest Harold Jones, identified early clues that led to the discovery of the ancient Pharaoh’s grave in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt, in 1922. However, Micah’s family have since had their fair share of bad luck, including being robbed at gunpoint and getting into an altercation with a serial killer.
The 23-year-old, from Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, said: “There’s a myth that anyone who opened Tutankhamen’s tomb is cursed. My family have always joked that we think the curse might be real, because we experience a lot of bad luck, and we’re constantly swerving death.
“My auntie got robbed at gunpoint, there’s so much cancer in my family, but only on the side that’s related to Ernest Harold Jones. My dad got into an altercation with a man who got arrested a few weeks later for being a serial killer. His name is Levi Bellfield.”
She added: “My and my boyfriend hitchhiked after our car sank into a bog and ended up having to escape as we feared for our lives when we realised he was taking us to a farm that didn’t even exist. I no longer get shocked when something bad happens.”
Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922 with the help of Ernest Harold Jones. However, Micah’s ancestor died while searching for it in 1911, and she believes he could have been the curse’s first victim.
Meanwhile, George Herbert, who financed the excavation of the tomb, died four months after it was discovered. George Jay Gould I also died from a fever picked up during a visit to the site.
Micah’s grandfather still has Ernest Harold Jones’ sketchbook at his home. The 23-year-old said: “It’s a really cool book with his writing and sketches in.”
Micah shared her story on her TikTok page, @micahsheldrakee, and her post went viral, racking up 2.9 million views. However, although many people were intrigued by her family history, others criticised her ancestor for being a “grave robber”.
Micah explained: “A lot of people found it cool, but others said he was a grave robber. I’ve had some nasty messages, which I didn’t expect, but I still think it’s cool, and it hasn’t changed my opinion on it.”