The latest Titan submersible tragedy sent shockwaves across the world. The submersible was ferrying five individuals to the site of the Titanic wreckage when it lost contact after a few hours. A massive search operation was set in motion and hours later the vessel was found imploded with deceased individuals. This brought to the fore, once again, the debate over whether the Titan succumbed to the Titanic curse. It’s been almost a century, but the Titanic remains a subject of intrigue and discussion. The colossal vessel that sank during its maiden voyage in 1912, was said to be cursed due to certain events that occurred
before it set sail. The curse caused death and brought misfortune to those who survived. While the ‘curse of the Titanic’ continues to remain a topic of discourse, we scoured the internet to find ancient artefacts that are said to be cursed.
Portrait Of Bernardo De Galvez
Bernardo de Galvez was a Spanish military leader who had a portrait made by Salvador Maella. The amazing portrait has an intriguing story about a curse. Galvez died in strange circumstances on November 30, 1786. Today, his painting is located at the Galvez Hotel in Galveston, Texas, a place with a notorious history of paranormal activities. It is said the hotel is home to a group of spirits and several shocking accidents occur around the painting that is placed in a corridor. Guests also experienced a strange coldness and presence when they went too close to the painting with Galvez’s eyes following their every move. Some have been reportedly haunted by Galvez after he stepped down from the portrait.
The Hope Diamond
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Many might be unaware, but the cursed Hope Diamond belonged to India and was found by a French diamond merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. He sold the rare, huge 112-carat gem to King Louis XIV, which was passed on to Kings Louis XV and Louis XVI. The diamond was stolen during the French Revolution in 1792 and was missing until 1812 when a smaller blue diamond was found in possession of Daniel Eliason, a British merchant. He sold it to British King George IV and after he died in 1830 it was sold to Henry Phillip to pay off the King’s debts. The diamond moved owner to owner, leaving a tale of death or bankruptcy in its wake. In 1908, New York Times first reported about the Hope Diamond being unlucky. The powerful and mysterious rays that emanated below the glittering surface of the diamond unleashed evil upon those who possessed it. Deaths and executions of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Lord Francis Hope’s bankruptcy, NY jeweller Joseph Frankel’s downfall – all linked to Diamond’s curse.
Robert The Evil Doll
When the innocent, sweet-looking toy takes the form of the sinister Annabelle doll, one can become weary of dolls. Horror movies using them as conduits for evil don’t help! Legend has it, Robert Otto, an artist who belonged to the affluent Key West family was gifted the doll by his grandfather when he was young. The doll continued to be part of his adult life as well – he was obsessed with it and would carry it everywhere and even talk to it. Often there would be terrible accidents and Robert would blame it on the doll; adults too felt chills around the doll, whose smile would often turn into a smirk. After Robert’s death, the next owner, Myrtle Reuter, claimed she would often see the mischievous doll move around the house, giggling. And after living with it for two decades she donated it to Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida. The museum is informed by visitors of misfortune or tragedies befalling them after meeting the doll.
The Iceman
Ötzi the Iceman is one of the most famous and oldest mummies in the world. Ötzi the Iceman lived some 5,300 years ago in the Ötztal Alps in northern Italy and was shot with an arrow and died because of his injuries. In 1991 he was discovered in the Alps, well-preserved because of the glaciers. The mummy garnered attention and researchers began their investigations and soon, started dying prematurely. The first victim was the head of the forensic team, Rainer Henn, who touched him with his bare hands — he died in a car crash. Next in line was the mountaineer, Kurt Fritz, who found Ötzi’s body, and died in an avalanche, followed by Austrian journalist Rainer Hoelzl, 47, who died of a brain tumour soon after releasing a documentary on the excavation. The scariest of them all is Helmut Simon, a German tourist, who found Ötzi’s body first and died in the same spot as the mummy. An hour after Simon’s funeral, the head of the mountain rescue team sent to find him, Dieter Warnecke, died of a heart attack. And, the deaths go on…
Delhi Purple Sapphire
The gem is also called The Gem of Sorrow because of the misfortune and deep sorrow it brings to the owner. Rumour has it, the stone was stolen from the Temple of Indra, in Kanpur, by a British soldier, Cavalryman Colonel W. Ferris, during the Mutiny of 1857. After returning home, he suffered financial troubles and death of his family members. Ferries feared the stone was the root cause of his troubles and his fears were confirmed when he let his friend borrow it – the friend committed suicide. In 1890, the stone landed in writer-scientist Edward Heron-Allen’s hand who faced similar problems as Ferris. Heron-Allen kept the sapphire locked in a box with charms and put a warning for it not to be opened for 33 years after his death.
