Passion for Egypt, A

In the decade before the First World War Arthur Weigall, the British Egyptologist, was involved in the exploration and conservation of the monuments and antiquities of a region stretching from Luxor to the Sudan border. At a time when Egypt was being ransacked by private collectors and the agents of western museums, it was said that without Weigall much more would have been lost altogether. When, in 1922, Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered by his old colleague Howard Carter, Weigall came into open conflict with Carter's patron, Lord Carnarvon, for his handling of the question of rights in the tomb. Following Carnarvon's premature death in Egypt it was Weigall's remarks to the press that led to the notorious story of the 'Curse of the Pharaohs': a myth that persists to this day. Weigall had many talents but his real legacy derives from his passion for Egypt, both ancient and modern - a passion that informs the whole of his compelling story.