3 remarkable ghost stories from history
The existence of ghosts has always been a divisive question, but even those who categorically deny that ghosts may exist can be alarmed and frightened when seeing something that could seemingly be a sign of a ghost being around... While no scientific evidence supports the belief that ghosts exist, many people still think so. Below you can read about some of the most interesting ghost stories from history.
While no scientific evidence supports the belief that ghosts exist, many people still think so. (Photo: pixabay.com / Rafael Talkar)
A ghost story from ancient Egypt
An ancient Egyptian ghost story was revealed again after centuries when in 1915 Gaston Maspero, and Egyptologist, was able to figure out the text found on pieces of broken pots, then translated it.
The story - which most likely takes place in Luxor - is about a mummified man, who tells his sad story to a priest of Amon. According to the story dating back to the Ramesside period, the ghost said:
"I grew, and did not see the rays of the sun. I did not breathe the air, but darkness was before me every day, and no one came to find me".
Gaston Maspero noted that he was quite sure the ghost also complained about some misfortunate accident that had happened to him or his sarcophagus, but the archaeologist was not able to figure out that part of the story.
The ghost of Tu-po
Tu-po is an ancient Chinese ghost, whose main goal after his death remained revenge, because he was killed for unjust reasons. As the legend says, before his death, Tu-po worked as a minister for King Xuan of Zhou (827-783 BC), but then they had an argument that ended with Tu-po being executed for false charges in 786 BC. It's also said that the king was warned about the possibility of the revengeful ghost of Tu-po returning, but at that time he did not seem to care much about the warning.
According to the Chinese philosopher, Mo Tzu (470-391 BC), Tu-po really appeared as a ghost, and was fast to achieve his plan for revenge - in 738 BC he took a bow and arrow and shot the ruler dead just before an assembly of feudal lords. Witnesses soon realized the similarities between the murderer and the executed minister, which made them believe it was truly Tu-Po's ghost that came back for revenge.
The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall
Experts say it was only double exposition that made a women look like a ghost on the picture (Photo: By Anonymous - Has Raynham Hall a Ghost? LIFE Magazine. 4 January, 1937., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57863579)
Not all ghost stories were born in the antiquity - some even emerge in our days. The story of the Brown Lady of the Raynham Hall is no ancient story either; it was kind of a sensation in 1936, when a photographer had seemingly caught a ghost on camera... The photo was taken in Norfolk, UK, at a 300 years old country house. The ghost was "floating" above a set of stairs on the picture - yet, experts say it was only double exposition that made a women look like a ghost on the picture.
Those who still believe that a real ghost was captured assume that it might be Lady Dorothy Townshend's spirit, who was the wife of the house's owner. She died in 1726, but before that, she was in relationship with a man. Her husband found this out not long before her death, and - according to some allegations - the lady still roams the grounds of the country house, dressed in brown.
Anita Diós
May 2018
