Creepy Dolls, Paranormal Paintings, and Other Cursed Artifacts That’ll Keep You Awake Tonight
Throughout history, certain objects have gained notoriety for their seemingly supernatural properties and the misfortune that follows their owners. From ancient dolls to precious gems, these artifacts have left trails of unexplained events and mysterious circumstances in their wake.
Here is a list of 20 allegedly cursed artifacts whose dark histories continue to intrigue scholars and enthusiasts alike.
The Hope Diamond
This magnificent 45.52-carat blue diamond has brought ruin to nearly every owner throughout its 350-year history. King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette both met their fate at the guillotine while the gem was in their possession.
The diamond traveled from India through royal collections and private owners, leaving bankruptcy, suicide, and tragic accidents in its wake. Even the Hope family, who gave the stone its current name, lost their fortune while owning it. The gem now resides at the Smithsonian Institution, where staff members have reported mysterious incidents.
Robert the Doll
This century-old doll from Key West, Florida, belonged to artist Robert Eugene Otto, who received it from a servant skilled in dark magic. The life-sized doll allegedly moves on its own, changes expressions, and causes misfortune to anyone who disrespects it or takes its photo without permission.
Museum visitors regularly send letters of apology to Robert after experiencing bad luck following their encounters with the doll. The doll sits in a glass case at the Fort East Martello Museum, where staff must regularly clean off the condensation that forms only on its case.
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The Crying Boy Painting
Mass-produced prints of this painting by Bruno Amadio became popular throughout Britain in the 1950s. Fire stations began noticing a peculiar pattern – houses would burn completely, but the painting would remain perfectly intact.
British tabloids reported dozens of cases where homes burned while the crying boy painting survived unscathed. The curse gained such notoriety that newspapers offered to collect and burn readers’ copies. Some owners still report unusual burning smells around their prints.
The Annabelle Doll
This Raggedy Ann doll gained infamy after paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren declared it possessed by a demonic entity. The doll allegedly moved positions, left written messages, and caused physical harm to its owners.
The Warrens placed it in a specially blessed case in their occult museum. Multiple visitors who mocked the doll reportedly experienced accidents or near-fatal incidents on their way home. The doll remains secured behind blessed glass to this day.
The Basano Vase
This 15th-century silver vessel from Italy carries a chilling warning etched into its base about a curse on anyone who possesses it. Each family that owned the vase experienced mysterious deaths shortly after acquiring it.
The last known owner attempted to dispose of it by throwing it out a window, accidentally killing a passing policeman. Local authorities sealed the vase away in a lead-lined box at an undisclosed location. Its current whereabouts remain unknown.
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The Busby Stoop Chair
This seemingly ordinary wooden chair from England belonged to convicted murderer Thomas Busby in the 1700s. Before his execution, Busby cursed anyone who would dare sit in his favorite chair.
The chair gained notoriety during World War II when multiple airmen died in combat after sitting in it. A local museum finally suspended the chair from the ceiling to prevent further incidents. The last person who sat in it died in a car crash hours later.
The Cursed Ring of Rudolph Valentino
Silent film star Rudolph Valentino purchased this silver ring in San Francisco, followed by a string of career setbacks and declining health. After his death, anyone who wore or touched the ring experienced misfortune or death.
Actor Jack Dunn borrowed it for a photo shoot and died days later from a rare blood condition. The ring remains locked away in a Los Angeles bank vault. Its current owner refuses to display or handle it.
The Anguished Man Painting
This disturbing artwork allegedly contains the blood of the artist mixed into the paint, who committed suicide shortly after completing it. Its current owner, Sean Robinson, documented numerous paranormal activities around the painting, including shadowy figures and unexplained screams.
Multiple paranormal investigators have recorded unusual phenomena near the painting. The artwork now remains covered and stored away from Robinson’s main living space.
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The Dybbuk Box
This wine cabinet gained notoriety after its previous owner listed it on eBay, claiming it contained a malevolent Jewish spirit. Each person who owned the box reported nightmares, shadowy figures, and inexplicable health issues.
The box inspired multiple horror films and documentaries about its dark history. Paranormal researcher Zak Bagans now keeps it in his haunted museum, where visitors report feeling ill near its display case.
The Myrtles Plantation Mirror
This antique mirror from Louisiana’s allegedly haunted Myrtles Plantation supposedly contains trapped spirits from the 1800s. Visitors regularly photograph strange phenomena reflected on its surface, including children’s handprints and full apparitions.
Staff members report finding unexplained smudges that reappear after cleaning. The mirror remains a centerpiece of the plantation’s ghost tours, where guests often capture unusual photographs.
The Black Orlov Diamond
This 67.50-carat black diamond allegedly came from a Hindu idol, cursing anyone who possessed it. Three of its owners died by jumping from tall buildings in the 1940s.
The diamond earned the nickname ‘The Eye of Brahma’ due to its supposed divine origins. Current owners had the stone cut into three pieces in an attempt to break the curse. The main portion now resides in a private collection.
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The Carlisle Castle Cursed Stone
This 400-year-old stone carries an ancient curse against anyone who moves it from its resting place. When museum officials relocated it in 2001, the city experienced floods, foot-and-mouth disease, and economic hardship.
Local businesses pressured authorities to return the stone to its original location. The stone now remains permanently fixed in place, with warning signs about its alleged curse.
The Haitian Tomb Drum
This ceremonial drum taken from a Haitian tomb supposedly carries a powerful vodou curse. Multiple owners reported hearing drum beats at night and experiencing violent nightmares.
The last known owner donated it to a museum after suffering a series of inexplicable accidents. The drum remains in climate-controlled storage, where staff members avoid handling it directly.
The Koh-i-Noor Diamond
This 105.6-carat diamond curse supposedly affects any male who owns it while bringing good fortune to female owners. Male rulers who possessed the stone consistently lost their thrones or died violent deaths.
The British royal family now maintains a tradition of only allowing queens to wear the diamond. The stone remains part of the Crown Jewels, worn only by female royalty.
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The Delhi Purple Sapphire
Despite its name, this amethyst from India came with a warning note about its curse written by its previous owner. The stone allegedly brought financial ruin and health problems to multiple owners in the 1800s.
The Natural History Museum now displays it with its original warning note. Staff members report unusual incidents around its display case.
The Thomas Keane Paintings
These portraits of crying children by artist Thomas Keane share an unexplained connection to household fires. Multiple families reported their homes burning while the paintings remained untouched by flames.
Fire departments across Europe documented cases of these paintings surviving house fires completely intact. Many owners still keep the paintings stored in fireproof containers.
The Little Bastard
James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder gained its cursed reputation after the actor’s fatal crash. Parts from the wrecked vehicle allegedly caused numerous accidents and injuries when used in other cars.
The remains of the vehicle mysteriously disappeared while being transported to a safety exhibition. Its current location remains unknown, adding to its legendary status.
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The Woman from Lemb Statue
This ancient limestone statue from Cyprus allegedly caused the deaths of multiple owners and their family members. Each family that possessed the statue experienced unexplained deaths within years of acquiring it.
The British Museum now houses the artifact behind protective glass. Staff members report unusual cold spots near its display case.
The Athenaeum Portrait
This unfinished painting of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart supposedly brings misfortune to any institution that displays it prominently. Multiple museums reported financial troubles and structural problems after featuring the portrait.
The current owners maintain strict guidelines about its display and handling. Some staff members refuse to work near the painting alone.
The Maori Warrior Masks
These intricately carved masks from New Zealand were taken from sacred burial grounds in the late 1800s by British explorers. Museum workers who handled the masks reported inexplicable feelings of dread and physical illness.
Security cameras have captured the masks seemingly moving within their sealed display cases at night. Multiple attempts to return the masks to their original locations have been met with mysterious accidents and delays. The masks now reside in a specially designed storage facility where they’re only handled using protective gear.
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Enduring Mysteries
These artifacts continue to captivate our imagination and challenge our understanding of coincidence versus curse. While science cannot explain their alleged powers, their dark histories remind us that some objects carry more than just physical presence – they hold stories that blur the line between myth and reality.
Modern collectors and museums now approach these items with a mix of skepticism and respect, preserving both their physical form and their mysterious legacies for future generations to study.
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