Tutankhamun's Tomb discovery.

On the 4th November 1922, Tomb KV62 was discovered in the East Valley of The Kings, Egypt. It would later be more commonly known as the tomb of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun and would also be revered for the wealth of valuable antiquities found inside.

Howard Carter - the famed Egyptologist - was hired by Lord Carnarvon to excavate the tomb, which was discovered almost by accident when Carter's crew were clearing some debris and huts He had abandoned some years previously. A young water boy apparently tripped on a rock which later turned out to be the top stone of a flight of steps carved into the rocks.

The process of excavation took 8 long years to complete, partly down to the condition of the tomb which was small, hastily built and had been raided twice over the centuries, and in part due to Carter's meticulous cataloging of artifacts.

In the years following the revelation of Tutankhamun's tomb, several of the team, and visitors to the site died in unusual circumstances, talk of a curse was rife which would affect anyone who was involved in disturbing the resting place of the pharaoh. Arthur Conan Doyle perpetuated this apparently on the event of Lord Carnarvon's death suggesting 'an evil elemental' spirit was created by priests to protect the mummy, no curse was actually ever found in the tomb or sarcophagus.

Periwinkle

Many plants have legends and folklore associated with them throughout the world, established and native ones especially. The pretty, wild plant periwinkle is no exception and the mythology linked with it – both good and bad - is very interesting. 

In folklore, periwinkle, the evergreen trailing plant which has delicate, five-petaled flowers in shades of white and purple-blue, is thought to have powers associated with ghosts, spirits, witches and the dead. It was traditionally grown on graves and used in garlands for the recently deceased but more often than not periwinkle would grow naturally in graveyards thus empowering the belief that it was intrinsically linked with death. In many countries it was used as a funeral plant specifically for children, often woven into wreaths to be placed on top of their coffins, as it was thought this would help them on their way to the afterlife. Mostly seen as a protective plant or having a guardian duty for the dead it was not to be feared but respected, however in Welsh folklore it is said that if a periwinkle flower is picked from a grave the person will be haunted for one year by the dead spirit.  

People often used periwinkle for its protective properties and there was a lot of superstition surrounding its use. If harvesting periwinkle for magical use there were some strict rules to follow, the person should be free of all illness, and it could only be picked on certain nights of the month depending on the moon’s phase, only then could it be used properly. Periwinkle was commonly hung in wreaths or bunches on the front doors of houses and other important buildings to protect them and their occupants from evil and to ward off vermin and pests, travellers would also carry periwinkle with them for protection from wild beasts and bad fortune. 

There were some very positive qualities connected to periwinkle too, in Germany for example it was regarded as the plant of immortality and was grown in abundance, it is also said to increase passion if scattered underneath the bed of lovers! 

These days periwinkle has been classed as a bit of a pest as it grows very quickly and in most climatic conditions, indeed in the USA it is illegal to plant it in some states because it is so rampant, but it has a long and fascinating history and deserves to be admired for its important heritage.