Whether or not you believe in the supernatural, you’ve certainly heard tales of cursed objects and haunted curios. These stories alone are spooky, but the people who have owned these bizarre items say they’re more than just eerie. According to true believers, these cursed objects are haunted, evil, or even outright malicious.
Actual Curse or Publicity Stunt?
In many cases, these supposedly cursed objects are said to be completely mundane by skeptics who allege the curse is simply an attempt to elevate an artifact’s mystique by ascribing supernatural powers to it. But could some of these curses be real?
Pattern-Seeking
Others contend that humans like to see patterns, even when they’re looking at chaos. As such, if there’s a sudden uptick in random deaths, people might look for a cause. Even if that cause is as far-fetched and outlandish as blaming the misfortune on ghosts, demons, or black magic.
Black Orlov
The Eye of Brahma, also called the Black Orlov, is a diamond that was stolen from a Hindu shrine and is reportedly deeply cursed. Many of its former owners reportedly claimed their own lives, and owner Charles F. Winson is said to have cut it into three pieces to try to negate the effects of the curse.
The Terra Cotta Army
In 1974, peasants digging a well discovered an unbelievable archeological site. They found a tomb manned by 8,000 sculptures of ancient warriors, said to watch over their departed regent. The army was created roughly 2,200 years ago, but the peasants who found it are said to have passed away after seeing the amazingly well-preserved site.
The Lydian Hoard
A collection of treasures that belonged to the kingdom of Lydia was stolen in 1966 by looters. The Metropolitan Museum bought the collection before returning it to Turkey years later. In the meantime, the looters who stole the treasure felt the effects of what’s called a curse by some: many of them died in strange accidents or fell deathly ill.
Koh-I-Noor Diamond
At one point in history, the Koh-I-Noor diamond was the largest individual diamond in the world. However, as time has worn on, various owners have cut it into smaller fragments, and it’s now just 105 carats. It reportedly bears this curse: “He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity.”
King Tut’s Tomb
The tomb of King Tut is said to be cursed. This one is one of the earliest examples of “ancient Egyptian curses” that are such popular tropes in fiction about the region. Many of the people who were part of the expedition that first unearthed Tut’s tomb are said to have died mysteriously in the months and years following the discovery, all of which have been attributed to the Pharoh’s curse.
The Shah Diamond
The Shah Diamond is a beautiful gem that has been owned by numerous Shahs throughout history. However, those who own it are said to find their kingdoms embroiled in war and tragedy. It now resides in Russia after having been traded to the Soviet Union in an attempt to break the curse.
The Hands Resist Him
This painting, called “The Hands Resist Him,” was created in 1972 by Bill Stoneham. Stoneham was recreating a childhood photo of him, but included spectral hands pressed against the glass door behind him. Those who have owned the painting, or even printed off copies of it, say they’ve experienced odd occurrences including losing important items and even seeing the figures in the painting vanish.
The Anguished Man
This bizarre painting was created by an unknown artist, according to owner Sean Robinson. According to Robinson, he inherited the painting from his grandmother and has been told it was created using paint mixed with the original artist’s blood. The artist took his own life shortly after completing the work, and Robinson says he hears odd sobs and has even seen a figure resembling the painting’s subject in his home.
The Hope Diamond
The astonishing Hope Diamond now rests at the Smithsonian, but some people say it’s deeply cursed. It’s supposedly worth around $200 million, and it’s reportedly a source of misfortune for anyone who dares to wear it. Others contend that there’s no curse at all, and it was fabricated to boost the diamond’s value by making it the subject of legends.
The Crying Boy
This English reproduction of Bruno Amadio’s painting “The Crying Boy” supposedly leads to house fires. A firefighter in the region reports having pulled undamaged copies of the painting from the rubble of burned-down houses. In each case, the painting is pristine despite the extreme nature of the fires.
James Dean’s “Little B*stard”
James Dean’s crashed his beloved Porsche 550 Spyder, dubbed the “Little B*stard,” in 1955. A collector named George Barris bought the wreck and took it apart to sell the parts. Legend has it that misery befell any and all who bought any parts of the cursed vehicle. The engine, tires, and shell were all sold to different buyers, all of whom got into accidents shortly after acquiring the components.
Delhi Purple Sapphire
This gem isn’t actually a sapphire at all, but is instead a large amethyst. It’s still been the subject of substantial controversy, as it was stolen from the Temple of Indra to be brought to London. After owner Edward Heon-Allen died, he left it to the London Natural History Museum, along with a warning to “cast it into the sea” due to its supposed curse.
Myrtles Plantation Mirror
The mirror that hangs in the Myrtles Plantation is rumored to house the souls of Sara Woodruff and her children who were supposedly murdered by Chloe, a slave who lived on the plantation. The legend holds that the mirror wasn’t covered when Woodruff and her children died, resulting in their souls entering the reflection.
359-888-888-888
The phone number 359-888-888-888 is considered cursed phone number. A CEO of a Bulgarian phone company had the number and passed away of cancer. Then, a mafia boss had it and perished during a territorial dispute with another gang. A real estate agent who sold illicit substances also had the number and met a grisly end. The number has since been suspended by the carrier, perhaps owing to its notoriety.
Anna Baker’s Wedding Dress
Anna Baker was a wealthy woman who lived in the mid-1800s and fell in love with a poor man. Her father forbade them from getting married, even though Baker had already bought a dress for the occasion. After her death, the dress was said to become haunted by her spirit, and is rumored to even move at night.
Annabelle
Horror movie fans likely know this story already due to the movie named after the allegedly cursed doll. Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren took the doll from a woman named Donna, who said she experienced strange paranormal activity while in possession of the eerie object. It now resides in the Warrens’ Occult Museum in Connecticut.
Maori Warrior Masks
According to Maori legend, any warrior who falls in battle while wearing his ceremonial mask has his soul inhabit the artifact. Oddly, local legend holds that these masks pose significant risks to pregnant women and their children but are completely harmless to men. Museums even post warnings on displays of the masks urging pregnant women to not go near them.
Robert the Doll
A doll that was owned by Robert Otto in the late 1800s is on display in a museum in Key West. Legend has it that photographing the doll without asking permission leads to terrible fates befalling the photographers. It’s even ringed with letters from recipients of the curse asking Robert to forgive them for photographing him without permission.
The Basano Vase
This silver vase supposedly comes from Napoli, Italy, where it was created for a woman on the evening of her wedding. She didn’t make it to the wedding, though, as she was intercepted by a murderer before arriving. The vase has since allegedly been the cause of numerous other deaths, though it’s been in the custody of police since resurfacing in 1988.
Black Prince’s Ruby
This English Crown Jewel is one of the oldest in the possession of the Royal Family. It’s a large spinel, not a ruby, but it’s apparently cursed due to its provenance. It was claimed from a sultan, Abu Said, and royals who owned the ruby were thrown into numerous wars due to its influence. Apparently, since the modern era, the ruby’s curse has lifted.
The Dybbuk Box
In Jewish folk tales, a dybbuk is a malevolent spirit, comparable to a demon. This cursed wine cabinet is said to possess a dybbuk accidentally summoned by a Holocaust survivor. The box was purchased by Kevin Mannis in 2001, and he says he began dreaming of a horrible hag shortly after coming into possession of it.
Blarney Stone
The Blarney Stone is a huge piece of limestone in Blarney Castle in Ireland. Those who kiss it are said to be granted “the gift of gab,” but those who steal a portion of it are afflicted with illness, misfortune, and even death. If you return the stone fragment, though, you’re said to no longer experience the effects of the curse.
Pupa the Doll
The eerie doll known as Pupa was made in the image of its original owner. After her passing in 2005, the doll was placed in a glass case and put on display. Despite this, it can be heard tapping on the glass and has been observed in different positions despite the case being sealed and impossible to open.
Uluru Rocks
Deep in the Australian Outback, you can find the massive Uluru formation. Taking rocks from the formation is strictly illegal, and those who chance is say they’ve been met with a curse from the land. Every year, tourists mail back Uluru rocks with letters apologizing for breaking the law.
Blucifer
Part of a larger string of spooky theories about the Denver International Airport, Blucifer is the fan nickname given to the eerie Blue Mustang statue that sits out front the building. Its sculptor, Luis Jimenez, passed away when part of the sculpture fell on him. It now sits in the middle of a large circle of grass that you drive past on the way into the airport, its bizarre glowing red eyes and uncannily massive size (32 feet tall) dwarfing passing cars.
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The Destiny Ring
Silent film actor Rudolph Valentino died at age 31, and some people pin the blame for his tragically early passing on the ring he purchased in California a few years prior. Known as the “Destiny Ring,” it’s said that the cursed object also took his girlfriend, Pola Negri’s, life after she inherited it from him. It’s now locked up in a bank vault after numerous other owners died mysteriously.
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Otzi the Iceman
The Iceman, as he’s become known, was unearthed in 1991 in the Otztal Alps. He’s a naturally mummified man who lived around 3,300 BCE. If that’s not creepy enough, people who have been connected to the discovery and study of the mummy have died in bizarre accidents. In all, seven people are purported to have died after interacting with the remains in some manner or another.
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