- Skull of Richard III - Recently discovered with his entire skeleton.
- The Lovers - These two skeletons, discovered in 1972 at Hasanlu in Iran, were nicknamed the Lovers for the affectionate pose they were found in.
- Possible bones of Mona Lisa - The skeleton that woman historians believe was Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous muse, Lisa Gherardin.
- The Elephant Man - Joseph Carey Merrick, born in 1862, never suffered from elephantiasis, but he believed his mother had been frightened by an elephant, causing the bulging tumors that sprouted from his face and eventually reached a circumference of three feet.
- Mesopotamian Human Sacrifice - skulls discovered at the royal cemetery at Ur in Iraq. Around 2,000 burials were recovered, attesting to the practice of human sacrifice on a large scale.
- Skull of pianist André Tchaikowsky - before his death, he donated his skull to the Royal Shakespeare Company to be used in the play Hamlet as Yorick’s skull.
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of more than 150 skulls from an ancient shrine near Mexico City this month—evidence of one of the largest mass sacrifices of humans.
The rituals included sacrifices to the rain gods as power struggles gripped the parched region suffering from a severe drought. The victims were first killed and dismembered. The body parts may then have been thrown into the lake, while the heads were carefully arranged and buried. Incense was burned during this ceremony and foods such as ritually burned maize were presented as additional offerings.
(Source: National Geographic)
Abandoned Cemetery - La Crypte des Fleurs, Belgium 1885
An old city cemetery lies within the tall stone walls, the entrance protected by an imposing black iron gate. When these hinges creak open in the morning, the inside of the cemetery looks quaint and peaceful in contrast to the dark facade - carefully maintained gardens surround peaceful plots, some with benches.
A very small chapel-like structure sits in a corner of the cemetery, clean and decorated with flowers - the tall wooden doors open just a crack to peek inside. One is greeted with a spiral staircase leading to a dank and moldy gallery of tombs that seem to have not been visited for many years.
Three tunnels form this crypt, which follow the cemetery paths above ground - plastic flowers grow thick with cobwebs and cracked portraits of the deceased stare back from moist stone walls. The dates of death range from 1885 to 1978; some were disinterred but most people seem to remain here. In the early days of this crypt the caskets were made of a cheap wood, and they soon liquefied in the damp underground, creating a horrendous stench. The city started an ordinance stating that all caskets to be placed here were to be made of zinc to avoid corrosion.
The Haunted Funeral Monument of Inez Clark
The glass-enclosed funeral monument of Inez Clarke at Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery. 6-year-old Inez Clarke was killed by lightning while on a picnic with her family. Her parents, stunned by the tragic loss, commissioned a life-sized statue of their daughter to be placed over her grave. There are tales of the statue weeping as well as claims of Inez actually moving. It is said, during violent thunderstorms, Inez vanishes from her glass box and roams around the cemetery until the storm is over.
Curious History: The Most Haunted Graveyard in the US - Bachelors Grove Cemetery
Possibly one of the most haunted places in the world is a one acre graveyard stuck far off the beaten path called Bachelors Grove Cemetery. Located in an isolated section of the Rubio Woods Forest Preserve in Chicago, Illinois, this one acre plot of land holds an unbelievable amount of unexplained phenomena. It is also the location of one of the world’s most recognizable ghost photos that captures a woman in white sitting on a tombstone (pictured above).
The cemetery was founded in the 1820’s and for years, was considered a peaceful, serene resting place for the departed. But by the 1960’s, it was increasingly isolated and abandoned and was often the site for wild parties, vandalism and possible satanic rituals. The chaos at the graveyard was so great that many bodies were moved to other cemeteries to avoid being desecrated and a large number of tombstones have been either stolen or knocked over.
This cemetery has reports of every type of paranormal activity. Many strange lights are seen in and around the tiny cemetery. A flashing blue light, similar to a police car’s light, was spotted many times flitting noiselessly amongst the tombstones. Orbs, bright lights, ectoplasm, unexplained mist, cold spots, and apparitions are frequently encountered in and around the cemetery.
But the oddest repeated sighting is that of a “phantom farm house”. What makes these reports so credible is that they come from people who had no idea that the house doesn’t actually exist. Each person who has seen the house describes an old, two-story farm house that is white washed, a large front porch with post to either side of the porch entrance, a porch swing and a light that cheerily burns in the front window. As people approach the old house, it is reported that it seems to shrink until it finally just fades away. Local legend says that if a person does enter the house they will never return.
The Bender Family - America’s First Serial Killers
In 1870, five families of spiritualists settled in Labette County, Kansas. Spiritualists were known in the Old West at that time and their presence caused no alarm among the hard working settlers. The Benders were among the group of spiritualists.
The Bender’s home was not a fancy place, but was a general store with a wayside inn that could provide both food and a bed for travelers. The house was made up of one large room that was divided by a canvas curtain. This separated the grocery store and inn from the family’s living quarters in the back. Old man Bender, his wife, and their supposed son spoke little to the strangers who passed through. But Katie Bender was different story.
Kate Bender, 23, was cultivated, attractive, and spoke English very well. A self-proclaimed healer and psychic, she distributed flyers advertising her supernatural powers and her ability to cure illnesses, conducted séances, and also gave lectures on spiritualism for which she gained notoriety for advocating free love. She was also reported to be a prostitute. Kates’ popularity became a large attraction for the Benders’ inn.
When the Bender’s had a “guest” at their inn, they would seat the victim at the table so their back would be towards the curtain that separated the room. The victims chair was also positioned over a trap door. Then one of the male Benders would hit the person over the head with a hammer and slit their throat to ensure death. After the gruesome act, they would open the trap door and the body would fall beneath the house until they had time to remove and bury it on the back of their property in the garden.
As time passed, reports of lost persons became more frequent. In the late spring of 1873, much bitterness was directed to this southeast Kansas area. The township called a meeting to see what should be done. The matter gained urgency when the widely-known physician, Dr. William H. York, was reported to have disappeared. A decision was made to search every farmstead in the area. Old man Bender and young John were at this meeting.
Three days after the meeting, a passerby noticed that the Bender homestead looked deserted. They descended onto the Bender property and found its inhabitants missing. The Benders’ food, clothing and possessions were greatly disturbed or removed. Upon entering the cabin, searchers were met by a sickening stench.
A trap door, nailed shut, was discovered in the floor of the cabin. Pried open and lifted by its leather hinges, it covered a cellar that was filled with clotted blood which produced the horrid odor. In desperation, the cabin was completely lifted and moved aside. A search was made under the house, but nothing was found. The search was about to be called off when Dr. William York’s brother saw the outline of a strange depression behind the house. They began digging and Dr. York’s body was found buried, head downward, his feet scarcely covered. His skull had been bludgeoned from behind with a hammer and his throat had been cut.
The next day, the search revealed nine other bodies with smashed skulls and slit throats along with other dismembered body parts.
The Benders had become this Nation’s first recorded mass murders or “serial killers” when 10 bodies were recovered at the inn. Many believe the Benders killed over 21 people. None of the Benders were ever captured. Their story remains one of the most gruesome and greatest unsolved mysteries of the Old West.
Curious History: Newly Discovered Vampires Graves
The discovery of a 700-year-old skeleton in Bulgaria in June 2012, offers evidence that the fear of vampires is far older than Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
The “vampire” was found entombed among church ruins next to a monastery in the Black Sea town of Sozopol. The skeleton had been stabbed in the chest with an iron rod which was in the tomb next to the body.
In addition, the skeleton’s teeth had been pulled. Scholars believe the rod and tooth-pulling were techniques villagers used to prevent dead men from turning into vampires.
In graves thousands of years old, skeletons have been found staked, tied up, buried facedown, decapitated … all well-attested ways of preempting the [attacks] of wandering corpses.
(Source: National Geographic)