Real Cursed Objects in History That Will Keep You Up Tonight!

Imagine owning an object that brings not only joy but also unexpected misfortune into your life. The world is full of stories surrounding cursed objects – items that are believed to carry a negative energy or a haunting past. These tales may sound like folklore, but the impact on those who have encountered these objects is far from fiction.

From ancient relics to modern-day artifacts, the history of cursed objects is a fascinating journey through mystery and superstition. People have reported experiences of eerie occurrences, bad luck, and even tragedy after coming in contact with such items.

15 Cursed Objects You Need to Know About

The world is full of mysterious and unexplained phenomena. Even if you are not superstitious, there are objects globally known for their association with bad luck. Some of them include:

1. The Car of James Dean

James Dean’s iconic silver Porsche 550 Spyder, known for its speed and fragility, met a tragic end in a crash in 1955 while he was heading to a race. After the accident, the car was sold in parts, but those who owned these parts reported experiencing fires, crashes, and unexplained injuries. The remaining parts of the car continued to be involved in incidents until they and the towing van disappeared after an exhibition in Miami in 1960.

2. Bronze Lady

In Sleepy Hollow, New York, the Bronze Lady statue in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is steeped in local legend. Commissioned by Ann Thomas for her husband Samuel, a Civil War general, the statue initially depicted a somber figure. Ann disliked the melancholy expression, so sculptor Andrew O’Connor Jr. created a new, happier head. Although Ann preferred this version, O’Connor reportedly destroyed the head and refused to replace it.

Over time, the Bronze Lady became a local legend, with various superstitions about inviting misfortune by interacting with the statue, such as sitting in her lap or touching her face. These stories have become popular among local children as eerie tall tales.

3. The Unlucky Mummy

The Unlucky Mummy is an ancient Egyptian coffin lid, dating back to around 950-900 BCE, often referred to by this nickname despite being a mummy board rather than a wrapped mummy. Little is known about its history before it was donated to the British Museum in 1889, where it was likely owned by a private collector. The artifact is associated with various unfounded claims of misfortune and death. Notably, journalist Bertram Fletcher Robinson, who was researching the artifact, believed it had malevolent properties and died mysteriously at the age of 36 three years later.

4. Robert the Doll

Robert the Doll, housed at the East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida, was acquired by Robert Eugene Otto’s grandfather in Germany in 1904. He kept the doll until his death in 1974. Additionally, it remained with his wife until her death two years later. Donated to the museum in 1994, Robert the Doll gained notoriety for rumored paranormal activity. This includes giggling, moving, and changing facial expressions. Visitors who disrespect the doll often report misfortune, leading some to write apology letters in hopes of breaking their alleged curse.

5. The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army, consisting of 6,000-8,000 life-sized statues, is rumored to be a site of hauntings due to its historical context. The artisans who created the army are said to have been buried with their work. Moreover, there are speculations that they were not allowed to leave to keep the army’s location secret. Officially discovered in 1974, the site dates back to 246 BCE. The seven farmers who first found it faced misfortune afterward. Three died untimely deaths and the remaining four received no compensation. Their land was later taken over for tourism development, fueling stories of a curse associated with the Terracotta Army.

6. Annabelle

Annabelle, widely known from The Conjuring movies, is a famous cursed object. In reality, it’s a Raggedy Ann doll, not the movie’s depiction. The doll was acquired by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in 1971. This was after a student nurse and her roommate reported its malevolent behavior. The Warrens deemed it demonically possessed and secured it in a glass case with warning signs to prevent anyone from opening it.

7. Myrtles Plantation Mirror

The Myrtles Plantation in the American South, known for its dark history and rumored murders, is also famous for its haunted mirror. Although records show only one murder, that of William Winter, the plantation is said to be haunted. The mirror, left uncovered after death, is rumored to hold the spirits of Sarah Woodruff and her two daughters. While they actually died of yellow fever, local legend claims they perished from poisoned cake. This added to the mirror’s eerie reputation.

8. Letta the Doll

Letta, short for “Letta Me Out,” is a haunted wooden doll discovered in 1972 by Kerry Walton in an abandoned building in Wagga Wagga, Australia. The doll, made with human hair and about 200 years old, earned its name because Walton claimed to hear it say “letta me out” from the trunk it was in. Letta is known for its eerie reputation, with Walton reporting that it moves around the house on its own, leaving scuff marks on its feet. Moreover, Letta has gained fame as one of Australia’s most haunted items and even has its own Instagram account.

9. Black Prince’s Ruby

The Black Prince’s Ruby, with origins dating back to a 14th-century Arab prince, is reputed to be cursed. After the prince was killed, the ruby was taken by Don Pedro and later given as payment to quell a revolt. The jewel, which found its way into English battle helmets, is linked to numerous misfortunes, including injuries and deaths of its royal owners. Now part of the Imperial State Crown on display at the Tower of London, the ruby’s alleged curse is attributed to the misfortunes of those who possess it, though the British monarchy’s pursuit of wealth and power raises questions about the true source of the jewel’s supposed ill fate.

10. Anna Baker’s Wedding Dress

At Pennsylvania’s Baker Mansion, the legend of Anna Baker’s wedding dress is particularly famous. Anna was in love with a poor steel worker and had planned a wedding, including buying a dress. When her father, Elias Baker, discovered this, he interfered by purchasing the steel mill where her fiancé worked, forcing him to leave. Anna rejected all subsequent marriage proposals from her father and reportedly kept the wedding dress until her death in 1914. After her death, family members reported seeing the dress and Anna’s ghost, who is said to appear wearing the unused wedding dress.

11. Koh-i-Noor Diamond

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond, one of the largest and most valuable diamonds in the world, valued between €140 to €400 million ($150-$435 million), has a tumultuous history. Likely originating from India, its history before the 1740s is mostly unknown. The diamond was looted during Nader Shah’s invasion of Northern India in the 1740s and changed hands across South and West Asia before ending up in Queen Victoria’s collection.

It remains part of the British Crown Jewels, but Great Britain, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan dispute its ownership. Legend claims that men who possess the diamond face a curse, leading to loss of power or life, although women are said to be immune to this misfortune.

12. The Crying Boy Paintings

Italian painter Giovanni Bragolini’s “The Crying Boy,” created in the 1950s as part of a series featuring teary-eyed children, became a popular print in many homes. It wasn’t until 1985 that the painting was linked to a haunting phenomenon. The British tabloid The Sun reported that undamaged copies of the painting were often found in the ruins of burned buildings. This led to a surge of readers sending their prints to The Sun, resulting in mass burnings of the paintings on Halloween. Stories of unusual incidents related to owning a “The Crying Boy” painting mostly surfaced in the UK.

13. Great Bed of Ware

The Great Bed of Ware, an enormous bed originally made as a tourist attraction for an inn in Ware, Hertfordshire, gained fame for its massive size, roughly twice that of other Elizabethan-era beds. It attracted notable figures like Shakespeare and Lord Byron. Despite its grandeur, the bed was defaced with graffiti and wax seals from visitors. Its size led to rumors of mischief and bawdiness. The bed acquired a haunted reputation when people reported waking up with mysterious bruises and feeling as if they had been beaten or scratched during the night. The cause of these disturbances remains speculative, adding to the bed’s intriguing lore.

14. Dybbuk Box

The Dybbuk box, originally bought at a yard sale in 2003, became famous as an internet legend after its seller relisted it on eBay with a story claiming it contained a malevolent dybbuk, a spirit from Jewish folklore. The box, along with its eerie story, passed through various owners and fueled the legend online. However, in 2021, the original eBay seller admitted that the entire tale was a fabrication. This highlights the importance of being cautious about believing everything you read online.

15. Bela Lugosi’s Mirror

Bela Lugosi, a legendary horror movie actor, had a personal interest in the occult, including practicing clairvoyance by staring at inanimate objects for messages from spirits. One such object was a mirror he kept in his Hollywood Hills home. After Lugosi’s home was purchased by Frank Saletri, who was later killed there, the mirror ended up with Saletri’s niece. She reported increased paranormal activity after acquiring the mirror, including feeling bites on her neck and seeing dark silhouettes reflected in it. The mirror is now housed in a haunted items museum in Las Vegas.

Do you believe that these cursed objects are real?

You might also want to read: Keep an Eye Open! These Are the Most Haunted Dolls Ever