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Egyptian Artifacts A Curious Collection

By the early 20th century, Owen Phibbs, a descendant of William, transformed Lisheen House into a repository of Egyptian artifacts, including mummies. He was an archeologist as many of the richer men at the time traveled all around the world in search of rare relics.

Some even claim that he was also a grave robber and treated his tenants cruelly and had them salute him when he drove by in his luxurious carriage. There are even stories that one of the tenants cast a curse on him and his family.

He was known for kicking out those that couldn’t pay his unfairly high rent and once a widow cast a curse and swore that day would come when the birds of the air would build their nests in the ruins of Seafield House. She also cursed the Phibbs to walk its halls forever after, in this life or the next, until the end of time.

**Lisheen House: T**oday, the house is almost taken back by nature and only its shell remains. The house was thought to be haunted, possible even cursed by poltergeist like activity. There could be because of an alleged curse put on the family there, or something from the strange and foreign artifacts that were brought back. //Source

He came back in 1855 from traveling through Egypt, Syria and further east. When he came back, he returned with many ancient and foreign treasures he put on display in a room he called the museum on the first floor of his house. Exactly what type of relics and their meaning is not known today. Little did he know that this endeavor would awaken malevolent forces within the mansion’s walls.

The Poltergeist Reign

Servants within the mansion bore witness to harrowing occurrences as strange things started to happen from then on. Lisheen House quaked ominously, and objects seemed to hurl themselves against walls. They could hear loud banding on the walls, doors and ceilings and dark figures would wander around.

The presence of a violent poltergeist was undeniable, and fear permeated the once-luxurious abode. People were sure it was something to do with the foreign artifacts.

Haunting Phantoms and Mysterious Coaches

Among the spectral phenomena reported was the ghostly appearance of a horse-drawn coach, its eerie rumble echoing through the night. The phantom vehicle would approach the mansion’s entrance only to vanish into thin air. Despite multiple attempts at exorcism, the paranormal activity persisted.

The haunting became so bad that the family called upon the local Jesuit priest that came to exorcise the place. Every day for several weeks the priest would try to hold masses to rid the house of the poltergeist, but nothing seemed to work.

The Phibbs Exodus from Lisheen House

The Phibbs family, while living in denial of the haunting, could not retain servants due to the mansion’s sinister reputation and the staff quit one by one and no one stayed for long. It was at this point they also changed the name to Lisheen House to try to save what was left of the reputation. But it was already too late.

In 1938, a sudden decision was made by the family to abandon Lisheen House entirely. Their departure marked the end of an era for the once-stately mansion.

It is often said that it was because of an incident when the haunting became so intense the whole house was shaking, making them believe it was an earthquake and forcing them outside. After this night both the family and the remaining staff fled to never return.

A Mansion in Ruins

Lisheen House, its history veiled in the supernatural, was left to crumble into ruins after the family left in 1938. No one wanted to go back to the house to claim the house or the things inside it. Most of the content was sold. Were it ended up and what happened to the hauntings after remains a mystery.

Today, it stands cloaked in wild Atlantic ivy, a silent testament to its eerie past on the green field. It looks peaceful today, but is it really? Many have claimed to have seen a coach with four horses, making the claim that the widow’s curse really came true and that the house is haunted until the end of time.

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References:

Lisheen House – Go Strandhill

Did Ireland’s answer to Indiana Jones bring home a Poltergeist in 1855?

Seafield House | Emerald Isle Irish and Celtic myths, fairy tales and legends

The Valley of the Kings

Known in Egyptian Arabic as وادى الملوك (Wādī el-Mulūk) and in Coptic as ϫⲏⲙⲉ (Džēme), also referred to as the Valley of the Gates of the Kings (وادى ابواب الملوك Wādī Ebwāb el-Mulūk), is a historic site in Egypt ranging from the Eighteenth Dynasty to the Twentieth Dynasty of over 500 years.

The Valley of the Kings resides within the heart of the Theban Necropolis. The site comprises two main sections: the East Valley, housing the majority of royal tombs, and the West Valley, also known as the Valley of the Monkeys and the valley is known to contain 63 tombs and chambers.

Serving as the primary burial ground for major royal figures of the New Kingdom and privileged nobles, the royal tombs feature intricate decorations depicting scenes from Egyptian mythology. These artistic representations provide insights into the funerary practices and afterlife beliefs of the time.

**The Temple of Ramses II**: Built during the 19th Dynasty by Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BCE, the temple served as a memorial to the pharaoh’s reign and a place for the worship of the deities, particularly the god Ra-Harakhty. The Ramesseum is renowned for its colossal seated statue of Ramses II. The temple complex includes a large courtyard, a hypostyle hall, and various chambers adorned with intricate reliefs depicting scenes from Ramses II’s military victories and religious ceremonies.

Despite signs of ancient looting, the Valley of the Kings offers a glimpse into the opulence and authority of Egypt’s pharaohs. Since the late 18th century, Egyptologists and archaeologists have focused their attention on this area, and ongoing exploration and conservation efforts keep the site a focal point of research.

The valley became a royal burial ground for pharaohs such as Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramses II, as well as queens, high priests, and other elites of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties.

The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 catapulted the Valley of the Kings into global fame, and in 1979, it earned recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the broader Theban Necropolis. Today, ongoing efforts and a new tourist center ensure that the Valley of the Kings continues to captivate visitors and scholars alike.

The Royal Burial Ground

While the Valley of the Kings is celebrated for its historical significance, it is not exempt from tales of supernatural occurrences. The allure of ancient Egyptian treasures, combined with the mystique of royal burials, has fueled stories of ghostly encounters within the hidden chambers.

There seems to be especially two ghost stories about the Valley of the Kings that seem to echo through the valley. that is the haunted story about the tomb of Tutankhamun and the pharaoh riding the fiery chariot.

The Ghost of the Pharaoh and his Fiery Chariot

At any given day there are thousands of visitors in The Valley of Kings. Visitors and archaeologists exploring the Valley have reported eerie encounters and unexplained phenomena.

The valley’s night watchmen say they have heard odd screams echoing through the desert valley as well as angry shouting. There are also mysterious footsteps and wheels clattering heard in the dead of night. These mysterious sounds are thought to come from the ghosts of the deceased kings and queens.

Some claim to have seen shadowy figures flitting through the tomb corridors, while others speak of disembodied whispers echoing within the ancient chambers in the Valley of the Kings. The presence of an otherworldly energy is said to intensify during the silent hours of the night, when the Valley rests in an eerie stillness.

Most popular though is the tale of the pharaoh in a chariot riding around in the Valley of the Kings. According to legend he rides with fiery horses and has been spotted by many night guards. Some claim it is a fiery chariot pulled by black horses.

The ghost is often also described as being short in a full Egyptian Pharaoh outfit controlling the reigns of the horses. Who this pharaoh is supposed to be, is unclear though. Could it be the story of the infamous Tutankhamun whose tomb was found in the Valley of the Kings?

The Curse of the Pharaohs

Before getting into the story about tutankhamun, we need too look a he history of the phenomenon he curse of the pharaohs.

The Curse of the Pharaohs, commonly known as the Mummy’s Curse, is a legendary curse believed to afflict those who disturb the mummies of ancient Egyptians, particularly pharaohs. This curse is said to bring bad luck, illness, or even death, indiscriminately affecting both thieves and archaeologists. While some argue that scientific explanations such as bacteria or radiation may underlie the curse, its origins trace back to cultural narratives rather than scientific evidence.

Despite stories of curses dating back to the 19th century, stories about them increased after Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. However, no curse was found inscribed in the pharaoh’s burial chamber, although strange rumors started about what happened to the crew present after.

The Pharaohs’ Restless Spirits

On November 4th that year a group led by the British Egyptologist Howard Carter descended the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley. Tut was a pharaoh believed to begin his rule as a 9 year old in 1333 BCE until his untimely death in 1323 BCE. After he was mummified and buried he stayed that way in peace for 3000 years. Until 1922 that is.

**The Death Mask**: Tutankhamuns mask is one of the most iconic artifacts from ancient Egypt made of gold and weighs 11 kg. It covers the head and shoulders of the Tutankhamun and is detailed with inlaid semi-precious stones and colored glass. The mask served both a protective and ritualistic purpose, believed to assist the pharaoh in the afterlife. Today, Tutankhamun’s death mask is housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Carter and his team spent the end of November excavating their way down to his tomb and burial chamber. When Carter reached the door to this room, he made a tiny hole and saw the room filled with treasures and the final resting place for the Egyptian pharaoh. And it is believed that when they opened that door, they also opened up the curse that lingered inside of the tomb.

The widely publicized belief in the curse surged after the deaths of Lord Carnarvon and others associated with the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The 5th Earl of Carnarvon was a keen amateur Egyptologist who was financing the project and joined Carter as they opened the door. He died aged 56 of blood poisoning, and so did the rumors of the curse that killed off the crew in a decade begin.

He was not the only one people thought were cursed though. Prince Ali Kamel Fahmy Bey of Egypt, shot dead by his wife in 1923. People have speculated that he actually was cursed by the mummy. So was allegedly Sir Archibald Douglas Reid, who supposedly X-rayed the mummy and died mysteriously in 1924.

Sir Lee Stack was the governor-general of the Sudan and he was assassinated in Cairo in 1924. Arthur Mace of Carter’s excavation team, said to have died of arsenic poisoning in 1928. Carter’s secretary called Richard Bethell died his bed in 1929 by smothering and his father committed suicide in 1930.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and spiritualist interpretations further fueled the superstition and he told a reporter: “An evil elemental may have caused Lord Carnarvon’s fatal illness.”

But Howard Carter remained skeptical and called the curse ‘Tommy Rot’.. Carter himself lived until 1939, long after the curse was supposed to take him. Scientifically, the deaths attributed to the curse have been questioned, with some proposing links to toxic fungi.

Despite the sensationalized deaths linked to Tutankhamun’s curse, a study showed that six of the 26 present during the tomb’s opening lived long and healthy lives. Ancient curses, occasionally found in tombs, are rare and often directed towards protecting the tomb’s ritual purity rather than warning against intrusion. Skeptics argue against the curse’s validity, highlighting that many individuals associated with the excavation had no ill fate.

Modern Exploration and Preservation

Despite the enduring tales of haunting, the Valley of the Kings continues to be a hub of archaeological exploration more so than speculations about curses and ghosts. Researchers and Egyptologists work tirelessly to unravel the mysteries hidden within the tomb-laden cliffs, while also preserving the site’s historical and spiritual integrity.

The Valley of the Kings is a part of Egypt’s rich history and the quest for immortality pursued by its pharaohs. Yet, beneath the golden veneer of antiquity lies a tapestry woven with spectral threads. Whether fueled by ancient curses, mysterious deaths, or the ethereal energy that echoes through the tombs, the haunted mysteries of the Valley of the Kings persist, inviting those who dare to explore its depths to uncover the secrets that lie beyond the veil of time.