The Curse of Timur’s Tomb sounds like something straight out of a low budget horror film. There is one big difference though. For those who believed in the curse it was anything but fictional. They feared the curse and acted accordingly. That fear rose all the way to the upper echelon of the Soviet leadership. No less a historical figure than Joseph Stalin may have acted on that fear. It was Stalin who had issued the order to exhume the remains of Timur (Tamerlane) – the famed Central Asian conqueror of the late 14th-early 15th century – just before the outbreak of World War II. Stalin was also the one who ordered that Timur’s remains be reburied. Whether this was because of the Curse of Timur’s Tomb is an enduring mystery.

Out of the darkness – Gur-e Amir illuminated in Samarkand (Credit: Wiggum)
Opening Remarks – The Curse of Timur’s Tomb
Mikhail Gerasimov was a man of science rather than superstition. He had an academic’s interest in Gue-i-Amir, the mausoleum of Timur. His mission was to first excavate Timur’s remains and then sculpt the most lifelike rendition of him. Gerasimov’s version of grave robbing was done in the interest of science. Science was rational and reasoned, unlike the supernatural which could not be explained nor cataloged. Gerasimov had his orders from Stalin and the fate of anyone who disobeyed Stalin was just as bad as anyone who crossed Timur five and a half centuries before. Thus, Timur’s remains would be taken from his tomb in Samarkand and hauled back to Moscow where they would undergo a thoroughly scientific examination. This would allow Gerasimov to specify Timur’s physical characteristics. The details would certainly have interested Stalin, but a mere two days after Gerasimov’s team opened Timur’s tomb, the German Army invaded the Soviet Union launching the most lethal conflict in human history.
An ominous inscription found on Timur’s tomb in Gue-e-Amir says, “When I rise from the dead, the world will tremble.” These words were meant as both threat and warning. Gerasimov and his team ignored them. There was a longstanding legend that opening Timur’s tomb would wreak havoc on those responsible. Usually, such a curse would mean bad things happening to those involved. In the case of Gerasimov’s exhumation of Timur’s remains in June 1941, some believe the curse fell on those parties ultimately responsible for opening the tomb. This meant Stalin’s Soviet Union. No greater curse would ever come to the nation than the war which resulted in the deaths of 25 million Soviet citizens. For those of a superstitious or conspiratorial nature, the curse of Timur’s tomb seemed all too real.
Exhumation & recreation – Mikhail Gerasimov
Last Remains – Timur the Lame
This did not stop Gerasimov’s work on specifying the physiognomy of Timur. This included his height of 177 centimeters (5’8”) which was above average for the time. The most interesting discovery was that Timur, who was also known as Tamarlane or Timur the Lame, did indeed suffer from physical defects. One of his legs was shorter than the other. Likewise, one of his arms was withered and useless. These details helped form a more complete picture of Timur, whether knowing this was worth opening his tomb is another question altogether. Gerasimov was so fascinated with physiognomy of ancient and medieval peoples that for him this justified raiding Timur’s tomb. On the other hand, the story goes that Gerasimov began to have doubts about what he had done. Especially since the tomb’s opening coincided with the German invasion which threatened to doom the Soviet Union.
Gerasimov is said to not have taken the curse of Timur seriously. At least not prior to the exhumation. There are accounts that he ignored warnings from local leaders prior to the exhumation. Nevertheless, it is believed that some time afterwards, Gerisomov began to have second thoughts about having removed Timur’s remains. Some have hypothesized that this was due to the curse. Whatever the case, Gerasimov later tried to contact Stalin about reburial of Timur’s remains at Gur-e-Amir. Gerasimov had trouble getting in contact with Stalin for a very good reason, the Soviet leader was completely focused on the war. After a considerable delay, Stalin responded to Gerasimov. He directed that Timur’s remains be returned for reburial at Gur-e-Amir. It is not difficult to see why. Stalin was extremely paranoid and superstitious. Whether he believed in a curse or not, there was no reason to tempt fate. Of course, both Gerasimov and Stalin’s opinions on the curse are based on conjecture. No one can really say what they did or did not believe. The facts show that Stalin ordered the reburial. This lends some credence to those who support the theory that the curse had spooked him.
Timur’s remains were returned to Gur-i-Amir after 18 months. In December 1942, their reburial took place. The timing of this roughly coincides with the Battle of Stalingrad, where the Soviets destroyed the German 6th Army and turned the tide of war on the Eastern Front decisively in their favor. Some believe that the reburial of Timur’s remains was a mysterious force that led to victory in that fateful battle. Most likely the timing of Stalingrad and the reburial was a coincidence. The same could be said for the outbreak of war and the opening of Timur’s tomb. Coincidences or not, speculation is bound to continue.
The Conqueror of Central Asia -Timur
Career Paths – Cursed by History
The exhumation did nothing to hurt Gerasimov’s career. He would continue to work diligently on sculpting facial reconstruction of people from the past. Timur was among the most notable of over two hundred personages that he recreated. His work was also boosted by carnage on the Eastern Front. During the war, Gerasimov worked at a Soviet military hospital where he was able to meticulously study the skulls of people from all over the Soviet Union. As for Stalin, he eventually emerged victorious. Stalin turned even more ruthless after the war. The gulag population continued to swell until he died in 1953. Stalin showed an equivalent cruelty to that of Timur. Just like Timur, Stalin’s political legacy would be short lived. Timur’s empire vanished in the century after his death. Stalin’s vanished even sooner. Both men’s legacies were cursed by history.