The Curse of Vesuvius: Why Tourists Keep Returning Stolen Artifacts to Pompeii
The ancient Roman city of Pompeii, frozen in time by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79, is one of the world’s most visited archaeological sites. But beyond the famous plaster casts of its victims lies a modern phenomenon: the “Pompeii Curse.” For decades, hundreds of remorseful tourists from around the world have mailed back small artifacts—fragments of walls, mosaic tiles, and pieces of pumice stone—claiming the stolen relics brought them years of misfortune and bad luck.
This bizarre ritual of restitution has become a significant part of the site’s modern history, compelling the Archaeological Park of Pompeii to acknowledge the superstition and even create an informal exhibition of the returned items and their accompanying letters.
The Anatomy of the Curse: Bad Luck and Confession
The artifacts being returned are often of little monetary value but carry immense historical weight. The letters, which arrive at the park’s offices or local travel agencies, tell a consistent and compelling story of woe that began immediately after the theft:
Health Crises: Multiple letters mention severe illnesses, most notably instances of breast cancer, which the writers attribute to the curse.
Financial Ruin: Recurring themes include professional struggles, business failures, and general financial misfortune.
Family Trouble: Some thieves report marriage failure, loss of a loved one, or fear of passing the “negative energy” on to their children.
The Story of “Nicole”
One of the most widely reported and detailed confessions came in 2020 from a Canadian woman identified only as “Nicole.” In her early 20s during a 2005 visit, she had stolen two mosaic tiles, a ceramic chunk, and parts of an amphora, believing she “wanted to have a piece of history that couldn’t be bought.”
Fifteen years later, her regret was palpable. In her apology letter, Nicole detailed her suffering, including two bouts of breast cancer that resulted in a double mastectomy, and her family’s ongoing financial struggles. She wrote:
“I took a piece of history captured in time that has so much negative energy attached to it. People have died in such a horrible way and I have taken pieces related to that land of destruction… We are good people and I don’t want to pass this curse on to my family, my children or myself anymore. Please forgive my careless act that I did years ago. I really have learned my lesson.”
Her package also contained artifacts and an apology from a Canadian couple, “Alastain and Kimberly G.,” who had stolen stones during the same 2005 trip, expressing similar remorse and asking that the souls of the dead “rest in peace.”
Origin and Anthropology of the Phenomenon
The precise origin of the “Pompeii Curse” legend is unknown, but several theories exist:
Divine Vengeance: The most common belief among the remorseful is that the curse is the wrath of the ancient Roman gods, who destroyed the “wicked” city and continue to punish those who desecrate its sacred, tragic ruins.
Archaeologist’s Warning: Some trace the superstition to Amedeo Maiuri, a prominent archaeologist and former Director of Pompeii, who is rumored to have stated that anyone who stole from the city would face seven years of trouble.
Contagion and Dark Tourism: Anthropologists and historians often compare the Pompeii Curse to the famous “mummy’s curse” of King Tut’s tomb. They suggest it is a form of “contagion curse,” where the physical act of removing an object from a site of great trauma transfers the “negative energy” and bad luck of the deceased to the thief.
For the staff at the Archaeological Park, the curse—whether real or imagined—is a surprisingly effective security measure for a vast, open-air museum that is impossible to constantly police.
The Exhibition of Repentance: The Antiquarium
The numerous returns and heartfelt letters became so frequent that park officials began to collect and display them. In 2015, the park’s then-director, Massimo Osanna, announced the creation of an informal exhibit dedicated to the phenomenon.
While a few select items and letters have been featured in temporary displays, the main museum—the Antiquarium of Pompeii—serves as the permanent exhibition space for the city’s history. The Antiquarium, which reopened with a new layout in 2021 after being damaged by World War II bombs and the 1980 earthquake, tells the chronological story of Pompeii from its Samnite origins to the final hours of the A.D. 79 eruption.
The returned items, especially the low-value fragments, are often not integrated back into the ruins as their precise original location is unknown. Instead, the park views the letters as being of significant anthropological interest, offering a unique look at how modern visitors interact with the tragedy of the ancient past and how conscience and cultural heritage can intersect with superstition.
The “cursed” collection serves as a powerful, unspoken warning to visitors, reinforcing the message that the city is not a place for souvenirs but a memorial to its 2,000-year-old catastrophe.