15 Ancient Curses People Believed Were Real
For centuries, tales of powerful curses struck fear into those who dared to disturb the past.
- Chris Graciano
- 5 min read
Ancient civilizations often warned of supernatural punishments. This goes for anyone who crossed sacred boundaries. These curses fueled legends of bad luck. Here are 15 eerie ancient curses that people once believed were frighteningly real.
1. 1. The Curse of King Tut’s Tomb
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When Howard Carter opened Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, rumors of a deadly curse spread. Several members of the expedition died mysteriously afterward. Though science points to bacteria and coincidence, the legend lingers.
2. 2. The Curse of the Pharaohs
Jeff Dahl on Wikimedia Commons
Ancient Egyptian tombs often bore inscriptions warning intruders of a divine wrath to whomever disturbs the tomb. Victims were said to face disease, disaster, or death. These warnings fueled centuries of fear about disturbing royal graves.
3. 3. The Curse of Ötzi the Iceman
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Ötzi’s frozen body, found in the Alps in 1991, was linked to strange deaths among researchers. Within a few years, several people connected to the discovery died unexpectedly. Many believed the mummy carried an ancient curse.
4. 4. The Curse of the Hope Diamond
dbking on Wikimedia Commons
This famous blue diamond was said to bring absolute ruin to whoever got to own it. From financial collapse to violent deaths, unlucky stories surrounded the gem for centuries. Today, it rests safely in the Smithsonian.
5. 5. The Curse of the Terracotta Army
Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. on Wikimedia Commons
Chinese legends warned that disturbing Qin Shi Huang’s buried army would unleash misfortune. Excavators reported illnesses and accidents after working at the site. The superstition still echoes around the massive tomb complex.
6. 6. The Curse Tablets of Ancient Greece
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Greeks inscribed curses on lead tablets, burying them in graves to call upon underworld spirits. Enemies targeted by these spells were believed to suffer terrible fates. Hundreds of these eerie tablets have been unearthed.
7. 7. The Curse of the Poltergeist Stone
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An ancient stone in Scotland was believed to carry a curse that would activate when someone moved it. Those who disturbed it faced accidents and bad luck. Locals eventually restored it to its place, fearful of further harm.
8. 8. The Curse of the Basano Vase
Basano vase on Wikimedia Commons
Legend says the Basano Vase was crafted in 15th-century Italy as a wedding gift for a young bride near Napoli. Tragically, she was murdered the very night before her wedding, clutching the vase in her dying hands. The family kept the artifact, but misfortune followed every new owner.
9. 9. The Curse of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond
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The Koh-i-Noor, one of the largest and most famous diamonds in the world, carries a legacy as glittering as it is grim. Believed to have originated in India centuries ago, it passed through the hands of countless rulers, many of whom met ruin soon after acquiring it.
10. 10. The Curse of the Uluru Rock
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At the heart of Australia lies Uluru, a sacred red monolith revered by the Anangu people for thousands of years. Despite warnings from Indigenous custodians, tourists have long been tempted to pocket small stones as souvenirs. Soon after, many began reporting strings of bad luck.
11. 11. The Curse of the Pompeii Relics
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When Mount Vesuvius buried Pompeii in AD 79, it preserved an entire city and, according to legend, a powerful curse. Over the decades, countless tourists and amateur archaeologists pocketed tiles, statues, and fragments from the ancient ruins.
12. 12. The Curse of the Maori Tiki
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In Māori culture, tiki carvings are sacred symbols believed to house ancestral spirits. Each figure holds deep cultural meaning, often passed down through generations. Yet when colonial collectors and tourists began taking tikis without permission in the 19th and 20th centuries, stories spread of severe misfortune following the thefts. Illness, nightmares, and even death allegedly struck the culprits.
13. 13. The Curse of the Croesus Treasure
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The fabled treasure of King Croesus, unearthed in western Turkey in the 1960s, was hailed as one of the greatest archaeological finds of the century. The gold and silver artifacts, relics of the ancient Lydian kingdom, soon became notorious for bringing ruin to those who possessed them.
14. 14. The Curse of the Black Orlov Diamond
Trishtha on Wikimedia Commons
The Black Orlov, a striking dark gem said to have been stolen from a Hindu temple in India, carries a tale of sorrow and superstition. According to legend, it was once the eye of a sacred idol, and removing it provoked divine vengeance. Over the years, several owners reportedly died by suicide or under mysterious circumstances, reinforcing the stone’s fearsome reputation.
15. 15. The Curse of the Tomb of Casimir IV
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In 1973, a team of Polish archaeologists opened the sealed tomb of King Casimir IV Jagiellon, a revered 15th-century monarch. Within days, many members of the excavation team fell gravely ill or died from sudden infections. Locals quickly linked the events to the king’s wrath from beyond the grave, claiming they had disturbed his eternal rest.