These items have been reported to bring bad luck, poverty, illness, deadly diseases and even death. These items are allegedly possessed by evil spirits and under demonic influences. The owner or the people associated with these objects have been harmed in one way or another. Many people even lost their lives under strange circumstances. Here are the 10 Most Notorious Cursed Items In The World that you should stay away from.
10. Annabelle the Doll
Probably the most popular cursed object on this list. The Annabelle doll dates back to 1970 when a mother bought it from an antique shop as a birthday gift for her daughter. Then the family noticed unusual things happening inside the house. Self-proclaimed demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren were called, and they found that the doll possessed the spirit of a 7-year-old girl named Annabelle Higgins who was brutally murdered. The doll is now locked up in the Occult Museum, Connecticut. And allegedly, it changes positions, writes messages, and performs other paranormal things in the glass box.
9. Hope Diamond
One of the famous cursed jewels in the world, the Hope Diamond, is reportedly worth $250 million. The remarkably large, blue gem is believed to cause misfortune and misery to anyone who wears it. It is believed that in 1653, a French merchant obtained the original 115-carat blue diamond in India, where he plucked the gem from one of the eyes of a Hindu idol. The French merchant was later killed by dogs. The diamond is now held in the Smithsonian Institution.
8. Dybbuk Box
The Dybbuk Box got its fame from the 2012 film The Possession. But before that, in 2001 Kevin Mannis purchased a wine cabinet and started having terrible nightmares. Then he gifted the Dybbuk Box to his mother and she had a stroke the very day she received it. Every person who allegedly owned the cursed item suffered from horrible events. Jason Haxton found out that the box holds the spirit of a wicked Jewish creature called a Dybbuk. He was the last owner of the cabinet who realised the box has the ability to haunt and possess the living. Later it was auctioned on eBay.
7. The Crying Boy Painting
Created by Italian painter Giovanni Bragolin, The Crying Boy Painting is another item that is renowned to be cursed. The famous painting was then mass-produced and was found in many homes across Britain. In 1985, the British newspaper The Sun reported that this painting was found in many of the mysteriously burned-down houses by a fireman. But strangely, the painting was untouched by the fire. There is a story that the original painting was of an orphan boy whose home burned down.
6. King Tutankhamun’s Tomb
One of the most cursed objects in the world is believed to be the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Whoever entered the burial place of the 19-year-old pharaoh suffered from bad luck, illness, or death. Howard Carter led an expedition to find Tut’s tomb in 1922 and after that, a series of deaths occurred to the people who were somehow associated with the tomb. The canary who led Carter to the tomb’s hidden location was first to die. Then Carter’s financial backer Lord Carnarvon died. By 1935, 20 more deaths were blamed on the cursed tomb. Although sceptics propose that coincidence or a deadly fungus from the tomb are the cause, the story remains haunting. You can read more historical context at the British Museum.
5. The Iceman
The mummy of Otzi, also known as the Iceman, was found in September 1991 in the Otzal Alps, Italy by two German hikers. It was a well-preserved mummy of a man who lived around 3300 BC. After the discovery, people who were involved began to die due to violent accidents. Rainer Henn, a forensic pathologist, died in a horrific car accident. Hiker Helmut Simon died after falling off from a deadly hidden path and mountaineer Kurt Fritz died in an avalanche. The Iceman has allegedly caused at least seven deaths. You can read about other mysterious remains in our post on strangest human remains.
4. Busby Stoop Chair
The alleged haunted chair which was cursed by murderer Thomas Busby before his execution in North Yorkshire, UK is one of the most cursed items in the world. In 1702, Busby killed his father-in-law after he used Busby’s chair without permission. Before the execution, Busby was granted a final request, he asked to have a last drink in his chair. Since then the chair has taken many lives, 63 deaths to be specific. The chair is now on display at the Thirsk Museum, hanging from the ceiling to prevent anyone from sitting on it.
3. James Dean’s Little Bastard
Actor James Dean called his beloved 1955 Porsche Spyder “Little Bastard.” The car was said to be cursed and before Dean died in the car he was warned by Sir Alec Guinness. After the accident, a mechanic who tried to fix the wrecked car had it fall on him, crushing both his legs. The engine was sold and installed in another vehicle that crashed fatally, while another racer was injured when his car rolled over. Even two thieves were hurt while trying to steal parts of the car. The truck driver transporting the wreck also died mysteriously.
2. Basano Vase
The Basano Vase is a carved silver piece from the 15th century. It was a wedding gift for a bride near Napoli, Italy. Even before getting married, the bride was killed with the vase in her hands. Passed down through generations, each owner reportedly perished shortly after acquiring it. By 1988, museums refused to accept the artefact due to its deadly legend. Four more people died before the vase was finally seized by the police.
1. Women From the Lemb Statue
In 1878, the Women From Lemb, an ancient statue carved from limestone around 3500 BC, was discovered in Lemb, Cyprus. The statue was owned by four different families and each family suffered fatal consequences. The last surviving family donated the statue to the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh. The museum curator who handled the piece also died within a year, adding to the statue’s dark reputation. You might also enjoy reading about haunted museums you can actually visit.
Conclusion
These cursed items serve as chilling reminders of how mystery, myth, and tragedy can become intertwined. Whether you believe in curses or think it’s all pure coincidence, the stories surrounding these objects are undeniably unsettling.
Would you ever dare to own one of these items? Share your thoughts in the comments below. And for more spine-tingling lists, don’t miss our posts on the most haunted places in the UK and the creepiest rituals from around the world.