In 1991, hikers stumbled upon something extraordinary in the icy Ötztal Alps of Italy—a mummified body sticking out of a glacier. This wasn’t just any body; it was a man who had been shot with an arrow over 5,000 years ago. He became known as Ötzi the Iceman, and his discovery was a big deal for scientists studying ancient history. However, some people believe there’s a curse linked to Ötzi because several people connected to him have died under strange circumstances.
The first sign of trouble came a year after Ötzi was found. A forensic pathologist named Ryan Hen died in a car accident while transporting Ötzi’s remains. Then, a mountain climber named Kurt Fritz was killed in an avalanche while helping to retrieve Ötzi. Another person, Reina Holtz, who filmed the retrieval, later died of a brain tumor. Between 2004 and 2005, three more people associated with Ötzi passed away, including one of the hikers who found him and a key researcher. While many have safely visited Ötzi at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Italy, the stories of these deaths make some wonder if the curse is real.
Before the famous Annabelle doll, there was Robert, a 40-inch tall doll made by a German toy company. In 1904, Robert was given to a boy named Gene in Key West, Florida. Some say it was a gift from his grandfather, while others think a maid cursed the doll. Gene claimed that whenever something went wrong, like his toys being destroyed, “Robert did it.” Even after Gene grew up, strange things continued to happen around the doll. Today, Robert resides in the Fort East Martello Museum, where visitors are warned to treat him with respect to avoid bad luck.
Another eerie object is a chest of drawers with a dark history. It was made in the 1830s by an enslaved man named Remus for his owner, Jeremiah Graham, in Kentucky. After Remus was beaten to death for his work, his friends cursed the chest. Over the years, anyone who used it faced misfortune, including deaths and illnesses. Eventually, the chest was donated to the Kentucky Historical Society, where it remains empty, except for some owl feathers.
In the late 1930s, a man named Carl Pruitt reportedly killed his wife and then himself. After his burial, strange things happened around his tombstone, with several people who disturbed it meeting untimely deaths. However, there’s little evidence to support these stories, making it more of a local legend.
In 1985, a British newspaper published a story about a painting of a crying boy that survived a house fire. Firefighters reported finding similar paintings unharmed in other fires, sparking rumors of a curse. Despite logical explanations, many people believed in the curse and sent their paintings to the newspaper, which burned them in a bonfire.
In New York’s Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, there’s a statue known as the Bronze Lady. Commissioned by a widow, the statue is said to cry at night. Local legends claim that interacting with the statue in certain ways can lead to bad dreams or hauntings.
Locked away in London’s Natural History Museum is the Delhi Purple Sapphire, which is actually an amethyst. It was taken from a temple during the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and has brought misfortune to its owners ever since. Some believe the curse was invented by its last owner to make a story more interesting.
The Little Manny is a small stone head found in Manchester, England. After its discovery, museum staff experienced a series of unfortunate events, leading to speculation about its origins and the bad luck it brought.
James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder, nicknamed “Little Bastard,” is another object with a cursed reputation. After Dean’s fatal crash, parts of the car were used in other vehicles, which also ended up in accidents. Some think the curse was a publicity stunt, but the stories persist.
In North Yorkshire, England, there’s a chair known as Thomas Busby’s Chair of Death. It’s said to bring bad luck to anyone who sits in it. After several alleged deaths, the chair was hung up in a museum to prevent anyone from sitting in it. While the curse’s truth is debated, many still avoid the chair.
If you have your own story about a cursed object or an idea for a future episode, feel free to share it in the comments. Thanks for reading!
Imagine you have discovered a cursed object similar to those in the article. Write a short story about its history, the curse it carries, and the impact it has on those who encounter it. Be creative and think about how the curse could affect different people. Share your story with the class and discuss the elements that make it engaging.
Choose one of the cursed objects mentioned in the article or find another one through research. Create a presentation that includes the object’s history, the curse associated with it, and any scientific or logical explanations that debunk the curse. Present your findings to the class and be prepared to answer questions.
Participate in a class debate on whether curses are real or simply coincidences. Divide into two groups, with one side arguing for the existence of curses and the other against. Use examples from the article and additional research to support your arguments. After the debate, reflect on what you learned about the power of belief and superstition.
Design a museum exhibit for one of the cursed objects from the article. Include a detailed description of the object, its history, and any known incidents related to its curse. Use visuals, such as drawings or digital images, to enhance your exhibit. Present your exhibit to the class and explain why you chose that particular object.
Write a poem that captures the essence of one of the cursed objects from the article. Focus on the emotions and atmosphere surrounding the object and its curse. Use descriptive language and poetic devices to bring your poem to life. Share your poem with the class and discuss the different interpretations of the object’s curse.
In 1991, hikers discovered a mummified body protruding from a glacier in Italy’s Ötztal Alps. It turned out to be a middle-aged man who had been murdered by an arrow over 5,000 years ago. People began calling him Ötzi the Iceman, and his discovery significantly impacted prehistoric research. Fourteen years later, Australian molecular archaeologist Thomas Loy passed away at age 63 from natural causes. He had studied Ötzi closely and found traces of blood from several other individuals on him, suggesting he likely died after a skirmish. For some, Loy’s connection to the Iceman was an interesting detail in his obituary, while others viewed it as evidence of a curse associated with the corpse.
Hi, I’m Erin McCarthy, editor-in-chief of Mental Floss, and welcome to the List Show. When it comes to cursed items, mummified remains might be on the predictable end of the spectrum, but what about chairs, cars, or paintings of crying children? Today, we’re sharing stories about objects said to bring misfortune or bad luck to anyone who comes into contact with them.
The trouble with Ötzi began the year after his discovery when 64-year-old forensic pathologist Ryan Hen perished in a car accident while transporting the remains. Shortly after, mountain climber Kurt Fritz died in an avalanche while arranging a helicopter trip to retrieve Ötzi. Reina Holtz, who captured footage of the retrieval, later passed away from a brain tumor at age 47. Between 2004 and 2005, three more individuals associated with Ötzi died: Helmut Simon, one of the hikers who discovered him, fell 300 feet down a mountain; archaeologist Conrad Spindler, one of Ötzi’s chief researchers, died from complications of multiple sclerosis; and Thomas Loy became the final victim. While many others have survived contact with Ötzi since his discovery, the question remains: does that make you feel safe enough to visit him in person at Italy’s South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology?
Before there was Annabelle, there was Robert, a 40-inch tall doll created by the German toy company Steiff. In Key West, Florida, in 1904, the doll was given to four-year-old Robert Eugene Otto, who went by “Gene.” Some reports say it was a gift from Gene’s grandfather, while others suggest a disgruntled maid cursed the doll before giving it to him. Regardless, Robert quickly became Gene’s evil alter ego. Legend has it that whenever Gene’s parents found his bedroom furniture upended or his toys mangled, he would claim, “Robert did it.” Gene grew up, became an artist, married, and returned to his childhood home, which he named the Artist House. His wife, Ann, wasn’t fond of Robert, so Gene set up a new space for him in the attic. Passersby claimed that Robert would change positions on his own and watch them from the window. After Gene’s death in 1974, the estate, including Robert, passed to Myrtle Reuter, who endured strange happenings for 20 years before donating Robert to the Fort East Martello Museum, where he remains today, casting bad luck on visitors who don’t treat him with respect.
Another ominous object is a chest of drawers with a body count of about 16. According to legend, an enslaved man named Remus custom-made the chest for his enslaver, Jeremiah Graham, in Kentucky around 1830. Graham, displeased with Remus’s work, beat him to death. Remus’s friends cursed the chest by scattering dried owl blood in its drawers. The Graham family filled those drawers with clothes for their newborn baby, who died shortly after. Over the next 140 years, anyone who stored their belongings in the chest faced misfortune. In the mid-20th century, Virginia Carrie Hudson Cleveland experienced numerous tragedies, including the death of her firstborn child and her husband being rushed to the hospital for appendicitis. To break the curse, she and her maid, Sally, followed a series of rituals, but Sally died months later. Virginia’s daughter eventually donated the chest to the Kentucky Historical Society, where it remains today, empty except for some owl feathers.
In the late 1930s, a carpenter named Carl Pruitt reportedly walked in on his wife with another man and strangled her to death before taking his own life. After his burial, strange occurrences were reported around his tombstone, with several individuals who tampered with it meeting untimely deaths. However, the factual basis for this legend is questionable, as investigations found no records of the deaths attributed to Pruitt’s tombstone.
On September 4, 1985, a British tabloid published a portrait of a weeping toddler beneath the headline “Blazing Curse of the Crying Boy.” The accompanying article told the story of a couple whose home burned down, but the crying boy portrait remained unscathed. Firefighters reported finding similar unburned portraits in other house fires, leading to a media frenzy. Despite reasonable explanations, the public was captivated by the idea of a curse, prompting many to send their crying boy paintings to the tabloid, which ultimately burned them in a bonfire.
Another cursed object is the bronze statue known as the Bronze Lady, located in New York’s Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Commissioned by the widow of Civil War General Samuel M. Thomas, the statue was said to emit sobs at night. Local legends grew around it, with children claiming that certain actions involving the statue would lead to bad dreams or hauntings.
Locked away in London’s Natural History Museum is the Delhi Purple Sapphire, which is actually an amethyst. Its cursed history began during the Indian Mutiny of 1857 when it was looted from a temple. The gem has passed through several hands, each experiencing misfortune, leading to the belief in its curse. Some historians speculate that the curse may have been fabricated by its last owner to enhance a short story he published.
Another ominous object is a three-inch tall stone head known as the Little Manny, which was discovered in Manchester, England. After its discovery, museum staff reported a series of unfortunate events, leading to speculation about its origins and the bad luck it brought to its handlers.
Finally, there’s the story of James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spider, nicknamed “Little Bastard.” After Dean’s tragic death in a crash, parts of the car were salvaged and installed in other vehicles, leading to further accidents and fatalities. The car’s history has led to whispers of a curse, with some believing it was a publicity stunt.
In North Yorkshire, England, you’ll find Thomas Busby’s Chair of Death, which is said to bring misfortune to anyone who sits in it. The chair was suspended above the floor in a museum after a series of alleged deaths connected to it. While the evidence surrounding the curse is questionable, many still avoid sitting in it.
If you have an idea for a future episode or your own story about a cursed object, feel free to share it in the comments below. Thanks for watching!
Curse – A harmful spell or wish for bad things to happen to someone or something, often believed to be caused by supernatural forces. – In ancient times, people believed that a curse could bring misfortune to entire families for generations.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – Learning about the history of ancient civilizations helps us understand how modern societies have evolved.
Object – A material thing that can be seen and touched, often used in historical studies to learn about past cultures. – The archaeologists discovered an ancient object that provided insights into the daily life of the early settlers.
Legend – A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated. – The legend of King Arthur has fascinated historians and storytellers for centuries.
Misfortune – Bad luck or an unfortunate event. – The misfortune of the shipwreck led to new discoveries about the lost civilization.
Death – The end of life; the cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. – The death of the famous leader marked a turning point in the country’s history.
Museum – A building or institution that houses and cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. – The museum displayed artifacts from the ancient world, allowing visitors to explore history firsthand.
Doll – A small model of a human figure, often used as a toy or collectible, sometimes found in historical contexts as cultural artifacts. – The antique doll in the museum’s collection was once a cherished toy in the 19th century.
Statue – A carved or cast figure of a person or animal, especially one that is life-size or larger, often created to commemorate historical figures or events. – The statue of the famous general stood in the town square as a reminder of his contributions to history.
Accident – An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, often resulting in damage or injury. – The historical account of the accident at the factory led to new safety regulations in the industry.
