There is a peculiar allure to certain objects—those relics that transcend their physicality and begin to carry the weight of whispers, stories, and histories. Whether it’s a relic tucked away in a dusty corner of a museum or a strange artifact passed down through generations, some objects seem to attract not just human hands, but human imagination as well.
These objects linger in the liminal space between belief and skepticism, where the tales that surround them feel almost as real as the objects themselves.
Here’s a closer look at some of the most enigmatic of these objects, which some believe hold supernatural powers.
Drake’s drum
Drake’s Drum isn’t just a musical instrument; it’s a symbol of an era, a reminder of the vastness of England’s maritime history. The story goes that Sir Francis Drake, the famed English explorer and naval officer, left this drum behind when he died.
According to legend, the drum was said to have the ability to warn of impending danger to England. In some versions of the tale, it is believed that if the drum were to be played, Sir Francis Drake would return from the dead to defend his homeland. This idea, while fantastical, has endured for centuries.
The drum’s presence at Buckland Abbey only deepens the mystery, as it transforms from an ordinary object into a potential harbinger of doom or salvation, depending on one’s beliefs. What makes this artifact so intriguing is its connection to both the tangible world of maritime adventure and the intangible world of legends.
Busby’s Stoop Chair
Busby’s Stoop Chair is a piece of furniture that seems to take on a life of its own, wrapped in an aura of dark history. The chair belonged to Thomas Busby, a man who was convicted of murder after he killed his father-in-law.
According to one of the mostwell-known versions of the story, after his execution, Busby’s ghost was said to haunt the chair, causing anyone who sat in it to be cursed with bad luck, often resulting in death. Over the years, the chair has been linked to numerous mysterious and fatal accidents. It was even removed to a museum to prevent further tragedy, which only added to its mystique.
The chilling idea of a chair that carries such weight not only sparks curiosity, but it also prompts deeper questions about the power objects hold when attached to intense emotions like guilt, anger, and fear.
The Nanteos Cup
The Nanteos Cup is a modest, seemingly unassuming wooden chalice that carries an extraordinary amount of legend in its small frame. Some believe it to be the Holy Grail itself, hidden away in a Welsh village for centuries, waiting to be discovered by those worthy enough to unlock its true powers.
The cup has been credited with healing properties, and over time, it has come to symbolize hope, recovery, and divine protection. Its legends vary, with some people claiming that those who drink from it will experience miraculous healing, while others suggest it can protect its possessor from harm.
This blending of the sacred and the tangible adds to the cup’s allure: an object, simple in form, that has become a vessel for belief, salvation, and perhaps even a link to a larger mystery.
The Hand of Glory
The Hand of Glory stands as one of the most sinister and eerie objects in the world of the supernatural. Legend has it that it is the preserved, dried hand of a murderer, and that when the hand is lit by a special candle, it can freeze anyone who looks upon it.
Originally thought to be a tool for burglars, the Hand of Glory was said to possess the power to immobilize victims, allowing thieves to plunder their homes in peace. Though it reads like something straight out of gothic fiction, the hand itself exists, preserved and displayed for all to see.
This strange combination of macabre history and potential power leaves us to wonder: how much influence can an object like this truly have? Is the power of the Hand of Glory purely psychological, or could there be something more to the chilling myths that surround it?
John Dee’s crystal
John Dee, the renowned mathematician, astrologer, and occultist of the Elizabethan era, left behind many mystical objects, but none are as haunting as his crystal ball. Dee reportedly used this crystal for scrying, a form of divination through which he believed he could communicate with angels and the supernatural.
The crystal is tied to a deep sense of mystery, not just because of Dee’s ambitions to peer into the unknown, but also because of the dark stories that grew around it. Some accounts suggest that it became a conduit for malevolent forces, possibly even demonic entities.
Whether one sees this crystal as a tool for enlightenment or as a dangerous object that can pull back the curtain on things no mortal should witness, it serves as a striking example of how objects, when imbued with supernatural significance, can exert a power that transcends their physical form.
The apotropaic bull’s heart
The apotropaic bull’s heart is a grisly but fascinating object, one whose power lies not in its beauty but in its terrifying function. Historically, such objects were believed to ward off evil and protect people from harm, particularly in the form of witchcraft or curses.
The heart of a bull would be pierced and then hidden in the walls of homes, often in the chimneys, where it was thought to act as a spiritual safeguard. The very sight of this object, in its raw and unsettling form, would evoke a sense of dread, but in the minds of those who believed, it served as a powerful tool against darker forces.
It is a stark reminder that some people throughout history have sought to confront evil with something equally as violent, yet curiously symbolic of protection.
The Bell of St. Mura
The Bell of St. Mura carries with it the story of a miracle that some have found difficult to believe, but impossible to ignore. According to Cambridge, the bell was not made by human hands but was instead sent down from the heavens. Its sound was said to summon people to safety during moments of peril, and its clapper was supposedly lost when it had served its purpose.
In time, the bell was believed to hold miraculous powers, such as healing the sick and protecting those in danger. Its powers seem to take on a more gentle, even comforting tone compared to some of the other objects on this list, but that doesn’t make the stories any less powerful.
For those who believe, the Bell of St. Mura is more than an artifact—it is a link to something divine and protective.
The witch’s ladder
A witch’s ladder, at first glance, might look like an innocuous string of feathers, but it’s a charm deeply steeped in occult folklore. Historically, these ladders were believed to be used by witches to curse their enemies or to capture their spirits.
The feathers woven into the strings were thought to symbolize various powers and were sometimes used to invoke spirits or cause misfortune. There’s something eerie about an object that seems so simple yet carries with it such a heavy implication of danger and magic.
The witch’s ladder seems to whisper of an invisible world just beneath the surface, where every action and every object could potentially be imbued with the power to change one’s fate.
The Delhi Purple Sapphire
The Delhi Purple Sapphire may not hold the status of a legendary relic, but its tragic history has made it an object of intrigue and fear. Edward Heron-Allen, who once owned the sapphire, is said to have believed that it was cursed.
Over the years, he witnessed a series of misfortunes and deaths among those who came into contact with it. Its reputation grew, and the sapphire became associated with bad luck, death, and misfortune.
The story of the Delhi Purple Sapphire is an unsettling one because it raises the question of whether such curses could truly be tied to an object, or whether it’s the power of belief that fuels these stories and perpetuates their grip on the imagination.
The Munlochy clootie well
The Munlochy clootie well feels like something from another time, a living testament to the belief in the healing properties of nature and ritual. Located in Scotland, this well has been a place where people tie strips of cloth to trees, believing that the act will carry away their sickness or misfortune.
The cloth, dipped in the healing waters of the well, decays over time, symbolizing the fading of illness or negative energy. Unlike some of the other items on this list, the Munlochy clootie well carries with it a sense of gentleness and hope.
It’s an object—well, perhaps more of a place—where superstition and faith in the curative powers of nature intertwine in a way that feels almost therapeutic in its simplicity.
Closing thought
What is it that makes an object more than just a thing? Perhaps it is the weight of the stories attached to it. Each of these objects carries with it a history that grows in layers: from the mundane to the mystical, from the believable to the absurd.
Objects like these linger in our collective consciousness not just because of what they are, but because of what they represent. They are not just physical things; they are vessels for human hope, fear, and imagination. And maybe that is the true magic—they are not powerful because of what they can do, but because of what we believe they can do.
