Pharaohs

The pharaohs of ancient Egypt were powerful magical and Muggle rulers known throughout the wizarding world for the incredibly complex and dangerous curses they placed upon their tombs. These potent enchantments, designed to protect their treasure and remains for eternity, presented a significant challenge that required the expertise of highly skilled Curse-Breakers from institutions such as Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Their legacy is primarily one of ancient, formidable Dark Magic and the legends surrounding the perils of disturbing their final resting places.

While the pharaohs were historical figures known to Muggles, their significance in wizarding history is a subject of study. Professor Cuthbert Binns lectured on them in his History of Magic classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The primary interaction the modern wizarding world has with the pharaohs is through their tombs, which Gringotts Wizarding Bank seeks to excavate for the vast amounts of treasure buried within them. This dangerous work is undertaken by Curse-Breakers like Bill Weasley, who was stationed in Egypt for Gringotts. In the summer of 1993, the entire Weasley family visited him there, taking a tour of some of the tombs he worked on. Bill later described the job as a meticulous process of dismantling intricate curses, noting that a mistake could have fatal consequences, such as being attacked by “reanimated mummies”.

No specific pharaoh is described in the novels, and as they were a succession of rulers over many centuries, their appearances and personalities varied. They are understood to have been the monarchs of ancient Egypt. In wizarding society, they are collectively characterized by their desire to protect their tombs with the most powerful magic at their disposal, suggesting a deep-seated belief in the afterlife and a powerful command of magical arts.

The pharaohs were evidently masters of creating durable and potent forms of Dark Magic, particularly curses.

• Curse Crafting: The protective enchantments on their tombs were exceptionally complex. Bill Weasley noted that the curses were “nasty” and that removing them was a painstaking process. A single misstep could trigger devastating effects.
• Necromancy: At least some of the curses involved a form of necromancy, as evidenced by Bill's reference to fending off reanimated mummies within the tombs.
• Advanced Dark Arts: The types of afflictions mentioned, such as spells that could cause body parts to fall off, demonstrate a sophisticated and dangerous understanding of Dark Magic. A portrait in 12 Grimmauld Place depicted an ancient Egyptian wizard who invented a gut-removing spell, which may be indicative of the magical traditions from that era.

• Tombs and Pyramids: The most famous legacy of the pharaohs. These structures served as their final resting places and were heavily enchanted to deter grave robbers.
• Wizarding Treasure: Their tombs were filled with immense quantities of gold and other valuables, which is the primary reason for Gringotts's interest in them.
• Mummies: Their own magically preserved bodies, which could be reanimated by the tombs' protective enchantments to serve as guardians.

As ancient figures, the pharaohs' primary “relationship” with the modern wizarding world is an adversarial one defined by their magical legacy.

• Curse-Breakers: Wizards like Bill Weasley are employed to actively work against the pharaohs' intentions, dismantling their magical protections to retrieve treasure for Gringotts. This represents a direct conflict between ancient magic and modern magical expertise.
• Gringotts Wizarding Bank: The goblin-run bank views the pharaohs' tombs as a source of immense wealth, investing significant resources into bypassing their ancient defenses.

The word “pharaoh” is derived from the Egyptian pr ꜥꜣ, which means “great house.” Initially, the term referred to the royal palace, but over time, it became the established title for the ruler of ancient Egypt.

• J.K. Rowling's use of cursed Egyptian tombs draws on the popular real-world legend of the “Curse of the Pharaohs,” which became famous in Western culture following the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and the subsequent mysterious deaths of several people associated with the expedition.
• The moving photograph of the Weasley family in Egypt, published in the Daily Prophet, is shown in the film adaptation of *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, providing a visual representation of the setting described in the novel (film).