<P>The most penetrating study of the curse ever conducted, <EM>The Mummy's Curse</EM>&nbsp;uncovers forgotten nineteenth-century fiction and poetry, revolutionizes the study of mummy horror films, and reveals the prejudices embedded in children's toys.</P>
<P>Examining original surveys and field observations of museum visitors demonstrate that media stereotypes - to which museums inadvertently contribute - promote vilification of mummies, which can invalidate demands for their removal from display. Jasmine Day shows that&nbsp;the curse's&nbsp;structure and meaning has changed over time, as public attitudes toward archaeology and the Middle East were transformed by events such as the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.</P>
<P>The riddle of the 'curse of the pharaohs' is finally solved via&nbsp;a radical anthropological treatment of the legend as a cultural concept rather than a physical phenomenon. A must for anyone interested in this ancient and&nbsp;mystifying legend.</P>