Many tourists who have taken bricks and artifacts from Pompeii have later returned them, convinced the items brought misfortune due to a so-called “curse.” Letters sent back with these items often include stories of bad luck and regret, expressing a belief that removing souvenirs from the ancient site leads to negative consequences.

The phenomenon has grown over time, with people from around the world sending heartfelt apologies alongside the returned relics. Some describe years of health problems, lost jobs, or broken relationships that they link to their act of taking a piece of Pompeii.

These cases reveal not just personal guilt, but also the enduring power that myths and history can hold over the human mind. The story of Pompeii’s "cursed" souvenirs offers a vivid glimpse into the mixture of superstition, remorse, and respect for the past.

The Origin of the Cursed Brick Legends

The story of the “cursed brick” draws upon the dramatic destruction of Pompeii, the ancient fascination with relics, and the powerful taboos surrounding Roman ruins. Modern regret letters and myths reflect both historical events and centuries-old beliefs about touching the remnants of the past.

Ancient Pompeii and Its Cataclysmic Eruption

Ancient Pompeii was a Roman city near the Bay of Naples, destroyed in AD 79 by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The event buried Pompeii under several meters of volcanic ash and pumice.

Excavations began in the 18th century, uncovering homes, streets, and artifacts astonishingly well-preserved. These discoveries offered rare insight into Roman daily life, art, and engineering.

Pompeii’s ruins soon became a magnet for tourists and scholars. Many visitors took pieces of brick, tile, or mosaic as souvenirs, believing these relics held a tangible connection to the lost city. Ancient Roman beliefs in the sacredness of ruins contributed to the sense that these objects were special—and possibly powerful.

Historical Roots of the Cursed Brick Mythos

The legend that taking bricks or artifacts from Pompeii brings bad luck developed over time. Early records from the 19th and 20th centuries mention tourists reporting misfortunes after removing souvenirs from the site.

Museums and archaeological authorities began to document letters of regret returned with stolen objects. Many of these letters described streaks of personal bad luck, linking the act of theft to supernatural retribution.

These correspondences reflect a long tradition found in other historic sites. For example, a similar pattern is seen with souvenirs taken from places like Petrified Forest National Park or the Colosseum in Rome, where return letters often mention hopes of lifting a curse or ending misfortunes.

Cultural Context of Relics and Taboos

Romans considered certain places, including ruins and burial sites, as loci sacri—sacred locations with rules about what could be taken or touched. Temple relics and city remnants were often believed to possess spiritual or supernatural powers.

Modern beliefs about the “curse” echo these older taboos. In many cultures, stealing from sacred spaces is seen as inviting punishment, whether from vengeful spirits, divine forces, or fate itself.

This taboo on removing items extends to guidelines posted at Pompeii and other heritage sites. Authorities stress the ethical and legal importance of leaving relics undisturbed. Warnings are reinforced by stories about the “curse,” which serve as cautionary tales for would-be souvenir hunters.

Souvenirs from Pompeii: Popularity and Proliferation

The fascination with Pompeii’s relics has led to a consistent pattern of visitors taking items as souvenirs since the site’s rediscovery. This phenomenon not only impacts archaeological preservation but has also fueled tales of ill fortune linked to these artifacts.

The Rise of Souvenir Collection in Modern Times

Since the 18th and 19th centuries, after Pompeii was excavated, the site attracted both scholars and tourists. As mass tourism to Italy increased through the 20th century, the desire to take a tangible “piece of Rome’s past” grew common.

Many visitors pocketed shards, stones, and pottery fragments thinking them harmless mementos. Souvenir-taking peaked during the post-World War II travel boom. In some years, authorities recovered thousands of small artifacts, despite stricter regulations and growing awareness of cultural property laws.

The popularity of collecting from Pompeii was partly driven by a lack of security and the sheer scale of the site. Even with warnings posted and patrols increased, small relics continued to disappear into backpacks and pockets.

Types of Relics Removed from Pompeii

The most commonly taken items were small and easy to conceal. Examples include:

Pottery shards
Fragments of brick and mosaic tile
Small pieces of marble
Pebbles or pumice from the ash layers

Occasionally, visitors removed larger pieces, such as decorative stones or bits of wall plaster, but these were rarer due to their size. Most items lacked inscriptions or artistry, but all contributed to the gradual loss of context for Pompeii’s remains.

These relics, while individually minor, represented key pieces of historical and archaeological evidence. Their loss undermined efforts to reconstruct daily life in ancient Rome.

Spread of the Cursed Brick Narrative

Starting from the late 20th century, stories began to circulate of tourists who, after taking relics, experienced persistent misfortune. Letters of regret and returned artifacts arrived at the Pompeii Archaeological Park from across the world.

Many claimants described illness, accidents, or financial loss after removing items from the site. Some expressed belief in an ancient curse; others simply returned objects “for peace of mind.”

Local officials compiled dozens of such letters, often displaying them as warnings. The “curse” narrative, while not officially recognized, helped deter further theft and became entwined with the site’s modern cultural identity.

The Letters of Regret: Stories of Misfortune

Hundreds of visitors to Pompeii have sent letters back, describing a pattern of bad luck after taking artifacts. Many of these accounts contain detailed explanations, with individuals returning items and sharing their experiences.

Case Studies: Letters Sent Back to Pompeii

A recurring pattern appears in the letters received by the authorities at Pompeii. Tourists often return relics—such as stones, pottery fragments, and bricks—along with handwritten notes. These letters describe events like sudden illness, financial loss, or personal difficulties after removing objects from the ancient site.

For example, one tourist mailed back several tiles, writing that she had suffered medical problems and relationship breakdowns. Another letter was attached to a small statuette, with the sender blaming ongoing “misfortune” and requesting forgiveness.

Here is a sample breakdown:

Returned Item Stated Misfortune Mosaic tile Job loss, unexpected illness Pottery shard Car accidents, financial woes Roof brick Divorce, persistent bad luck

These first-hand accounts emphasize a belief that objects taken from Pompeii carry negative powers associated with the site’s destruction.

Themes of Guilt and Bad Luck

Underlying many letters is a strong sense of remorse. People frequently admit to feeling guilty soon after taking the souvenirs. This guilt is often amplified by rumors or stories about the “curse” of Pompeii, which suggest that removing relics brings on bad luck.

Visitors describe their merits for returning the items, such as a desire to restore balance and respect the historical significance of the site. Some individuals mention that only after returning the artifacts did their fortunes improve.

The pattern suggests the perceived powers of these objects are not just legendary but have a psychological impact, strongly linking belief in the curse to personal experiences of guilt and misfortune. Many feel compelled to correct what they see as a moral mistake, hoping to regain peace of mind.

Historical and Cultural Parallels

Souvenirs taken from Pompeii echo ancient practices of collecting relics from historic sites. In cities like Rome, Athens, and regions such as Palestine, attitudes toward relics varied widely, shaping public perception of these objects as sacred, lucky, or even cursed.

Comparison to Relic Narratives in Rome and Athens

During the height of the Roman Empire, fragments from temples or monuments in Rome were often gathered as keepsakes or symbols of personal pilgrimage. Such acts were sometimes seen as acts of reverence but could also invoke disapproval if the object was deemed significant to heritage or religion.

In Athens, broken pottery and pieces of the Acropolis occasionally found their way into travelers' hands. Athenian authorities at times discouraged this behavior, considering it disrespectful or theft. Yet, others saw these items as tangible links to legendary events or revered figures from their past.

Both cities developed narratives around these removed objects. Sometimes these stories suggested misfortune would follow those who took them without proper reverence—a superstition that brings historical context to modern tales of "cursed" Pompeii artifacts.

Relics in Palestine: Sacred Versus Cursed

In Palestine, relics often took on a distinctly sacred role. Pilgrims amassed pieces of stone or earth from sites considered holy, such as Jerusalem or Bethlehem. These items were valued for their spiritual significance and offered as blessings or charms.

However, the illicit or irreverent taking of such sacred remnants was not universally welcomed. Some religious authorities stressed the boundary between legitimate pilgrimage relics and those removed unlawfully, fearing that misuse could invite divine displeasure.

This tension between sacred and profane persists in the case of Pompeii, where bricks and artifacts, once trivialized as souvenirs, become charged with stories of bad luck and regret. The parallels to practices in Rome, Athens, and Palestine reveal the complex roles these relics played in shaping beliefs about heritage, sanctity, and their consequences.

Interpretations and Analysis

Stories of Pompeii’s “cursed” souvenirs reveal deep interactions between material culture, personal conscience, and wider social beliefs. The interpretations of the cursed brick encompass complex layers of symbolism and critical debates over superstition versus collective memory.

Symbolic Meanings of the Cursed Brick

The cursed brick taken from Pompeii is not merely a piece of ancient debris. For many, it acts as a powerful symbol of guilt, transgression, and the consequences of disregarding history. Letters of regret sent by tourists often mention feelings of misfortune or personal distress after removing such relics.

Artifacts from Pompeii, including bricks, have developed reputations for bringing bad luck. The idea reflects a respect for the trauma embedded in the site, emphasizing that the objects are not just historical items but reminders of lives lost in a catastrophic event.

Some interpretations link the curse to the ancient Roman belief in sacred boundaries (pomerium) and to the powers attributed to the gods protecting these sites. The brick’s “merit” as a cursed object lies in its violation of a collective agreement that the past should be preserved and respected rather than exploited for personal gain.

The Debate Around Superstition and Historical Memory

Debate continues about whether the curse attached to Pompeii souvenirs is merely superstition or a reflection of collective memory and trauma. Skeptics argue that stories of misfortune are coincidences—a result of anxiety rather than evidence of supernatural powers.

Cultural historians, including Alexander, have examined how repeated stories of curses serve as informal crowd control. Such narratives remind the public of the moral obligation to preserve archaeological sites and deter theft through psychological means, rather than legal punishment.

Others highlight how these stories perpetuate a sense of reverence for Pompeii’s history. Whether or not the curse is real, the widespread retelling transforms simple relics into powerful symbols of memory, loss, and the complexities of interacting with the past. The cursed brick thus bridges superstition and the ongoing process of honoring shared history.

Contemporary Attitudes Toward Cultural Heritage

Discussions about Pompeii’s artifacts—such as bricks, pottery, and mosaics—raise complex questions about ownership, responsibility, and the ongoing legacy of Rome. Shifting societal views influence how people interact with ancient relics, both legally and ethically.

Ethical Considerations of Removing Relics

Taking relics from sites like Pompeii directly affects the integrity of archaeological records. Removing a single artifact, whether a brick or pottery shard, can erase evidence of daily life in Roman times.

Many individuals who take souvenirs later express regret. In recent years, people have returned items to Pompeii, sometimes citing feelings of guilt or fear, and occasionally invoking curses allegedly tied to the stolen pieces. These acts highlight heightened ethical awareness regarding the impact of personal actions on cultural heritage.

Key points in current attitudes:

Growing public recognition that relics are collective property, not personal mementos.
Museums and archaeologists underscore the historical loss that follows each removed object.
Cultural education has led to greater sensitivity in travel and tourism.

Preservation Efforts and Public Engagement

Italian and international authorities have implemented stricter controls and surveillance around ancient sites. This includes labeled artifacts, video monitoring, and fines for unauthorized removal.

Public campaigns regularly inform visitors about the significance of preserving relics where they are found. Schools and tour programs teach about the broader history of Rome, highlighting why preservation matters. Social media also plays a role, with stories about returned items fostering a collaborative approach to protecting heritage.

Engagement is further supported by updated museum exhibits and immersive tours that allow people to experience history without endangering artifacts. The combination of education, regulation, and visitor participation helps safeguard sites like Pompeii for future generations.

Conclusion

The phenomenon of tourists returning stolen Pompeii artifacts highlights a unique intersection of cultural heritage and personal conscience. Many have experienced remorse, often citing a sense of misfortune or “curse” as a result of their actions.

Common Themes Noted in Returned Letters:

Regret for removing historical items
A feeling that the items brought bad luck
Desire to correct a past mistake

Each piece sent back to Pompeii represents more than just a returned object. It signals a renewed respect for history and a lesson learned by the individuals involved.

The use of the term “curse” in these stories appears symbolic rather than literal. It reflects the psychological and ethical burden felt by those who took souvenirs from the site.

Table 1: Returned Pompeii Artefacts (2010–2024)

Year Type of Item Stated Reason for Return 2010 Tiles, pottery Bad luck 2017 Small figurines Remorse 2021 Mosaics, bricks Moral obligation 2024 Wall fragments Cursed feeling

Pompeii’s story continues, shaped by the actions of visitors who, after years or decades, choose to make amends. Many now understand the value of preserving cultural heritage for future generations.

The Cursed Brick: Pompeii’s Souvenirs and the Letters of Regret from Modern Tourists