Buyer beware: Those mummified remains might carry toxic spores
A study published in the International Journal of Cultural Property warns that the online trade in mummified human and animal remains poses serious health risks, as sellers offer no safety guidance despite clear signs of biodeterioration. Collectors are exposed to two hazards: toxic substances such as arsenic, mercury and lead historically used in preservation, and dormant micro-organisms that can reactivate and multiply, particularly when remains have been stored poorly. Researchers link this modern trade to the long-standing "mummy's curse" legend, arguing that unregulated online sales have amplified demand for such items without any accompanying awareness of the dangers involved.
The paper cites several historical cases to illustrate the risks, including a 1962 discovery of poisonous fungal spores in mummified remains capable of causing respiratory illness, and 2012-2013 studies finding fungi such as Aspergillus, Penicillium and Stachybotrys in crypts and catacombs in Poland and Sicily. Most strikingly, Aspergillus flavus spores are believed to have killed 10 of 12 scientists who opened a 15th-century Polish royal tomb in 1973. The article also revisits the Tutankhamen "curse", noting that Lord Carnarvon actually died of blood poisoning from an infected mosquito bite rather than fungal exposure, and that of 58 people present at the tomb's opening, only eight died within 12 years — undermining the curse narrative while still underscoring genuine modern risks from the unregulated remains trade, according to co-author Kirsty Squires of the University of Staffordshire.
- Online-traded mummified remains can carry toxic residues and active fungal spores
- Sellers give no safety warnings despite biodeterioration risks
- "Mummy's curse" tales often stem from real toxic fungi, not magic
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Mummified remains are preserved bodies or body parts, including those of people and animals. Some were treated with chemicals such as arsenic, mercury or lead, which can be harmful; fungi and other micro-organisms may also survive and grow if remains are stored in poor conditions.
Researchers have found fungi in tombs and crypts, and some spores can cause illness when breathed in. In one reported case, fungi were linked to the deaths of scientists who opened a Polish royal tomb in 1973, though the famous story of Tutankhamen’s curse is not supported by the deaths recorded after that tomb was opened.
The remains trade has existed for centuries, but online sales can make such objects easier to buy. Researchers say buyers may receive little or no information about possible hazards, raising questions about how these objects are handled and sold.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The documented health risks from unregulated mummified remains are genuinely serious, including toxic preservation substances and dormant pathogens such as Aspergillus that have caused documented respiratory illness and death among researchers. Online buyers receive no safety guidance despite clear evidence of biodeterioration, and private storage conditions are typically far inferior to professional museum preservation standards. Unrestricted online marketplaces have dramatically amplified demand for these items without any accompanying public awareness of the dangers, exposing collectors and their families to preventable health hazards that warrant regulation or restriction.
The case against
The documented risks, whilst real, are manageable through proper handling and education rather than restrictions that prevent legitimate collectors and scholars from accessing culturally and historically valuable artefacts. The study relies on extreme historical cases rather than typical exposure scenarios; most mummified remains present acceptable risks to collectors willing to take standard precautions. Property rights and market freedom matter—people should be free to purchase items they are willing to accept responsibility for, and education from informed sellers would allow responsible collection to proceed safely rather than driving the trade underground where safety standards would be even worse.