In an unexplained phenomenon, curators are baffled with a four thousand-year-old Egyptian relic which reportedly rotates by itself in the museum.
The ten-inch statue recovered from a mummy's tomb 60 years ago has been seen spinning 180 degrees, as seen in a time-lapse video at the Manchester Museum, reported Manchester Evening News.
The statue, which is that of a man named Neb-Senu, has been seen spinning during the day time only. According to curators, the statue was an offering to Orisis, the God of the Dead.
Campbell Price, a curator at the Oxford Road said, "I noticed one day that it had turned around. I thought it was strange because it is in a case and I am the only one who has a key."
"I put it back but then the next day it had moved again. We set up a time-lapse video and, although the naked eye can't see it, you can clearly see it rotate on the film."
Speaking on the lines of the probable curse of the statue, he said. "The statuette is something that used to go in the tomb along with the mummy. Mourners would lay offerings at its feet."
"In Ancient Egypt they believed that if the mummy is destroyed then the statuette can act as an alternative vessel for the spirit. Maybe that is what is causing the movement."
Physics professor Brian Cox gave a more believable explanation that the movement has been induced due to vibrations resulting from friction.
"Mr Brian thinks it's differential friction. Where two surfaces, the serpentine stone of the statuette and glass shelf it is on, cause a subtle vibration which is making the statuette turn," said Price.
Unconvinced with the explanation Price questioned, "But it has been on those surfaces since we have had it and it has never moved before. And why would it go around in a perfect circle?"
"It would be great if someone could solve the mystery."
Watch the video of the moving Egyptian statue below:
