The Oscan-speaking people used to live in the city of Pompeii near Mount Vesuvius in southern Italy's Campania region around 2,000 years ago. The bustling city suddenly changed one day, as Pompeii was buried under 4-6mt of ash and pumice after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The eruption mummified many bodies, apart from destroying the town (along with its history).
Archaeologists discovered this cursed city in 1960 after many excavations, and found that the city was largely preserved under the ash. Archaeological research has been going on there since then, and various information about the ancient city are coming to light. Currently, Pompeii is a UNESCO heritage site, as well as a popular tourist destination. Tourists from different parts of the globe visit this city every year. A letter written by one such tourist has triggered a sensation!
A lady (identity still unknown) took some stones from Pompeii in 2023. No one had any idea about her act. Suddenly, the Office of the Director in charge of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii received a letter, along with a note and some pieces of stone, from that lady. She wrote: "I did not know about the curse. I did not know that I should not take any rocks. Within a year, I got a breast cancer. I am young and healthy female. And doctors said it was just 'bad luck'. Please accept my apology and these pieces. Mi Dispiace." In Italian, Mi Dispiace means I am sorry.
Archaeologist Gabriel Zuchtriegel took to X (formerly Twitter), and shared an image of the letter and pumice stones he received from the lady. Zuchtriegel, the In Charge of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, mentioned: "Dear anonymous sender of this letter… the pumice stones arrived in Pompeii… now good luck for your future & in bocca al lupo, as we say in Italy." It may be noted that the phrase 'In bocca al lupo' is an idiom in Italian language that is used to wish good luck.
Experts are of the opinion that these are a mere coincidence. They have also opined that the lady, suffering from cancer, may be mentally weak. Hence, she thinks like this. According to them, visitors often collect archaeological materials from this ruined city. So far, many mummies have been discovered in Pompeii and the agony of death is evident in those. These gruesome mummies have been kept in the museum for a long time. However, nothing has happened to anyone till date. Unfortunately, a weak mind cannot accept all these arguments.
This is not the first time such an incident has been reported. The Archaeological Park of Pompeii received such letters in the past. In 2020, a tourist from Canada returned some artefacts, including two mosaic tiles, parts of an amphora and a piece of ceramics, to the Park Authorities. In her letter, Nicole, the Canadian tourist, stated: "I wanted to have a piece of history that could not be bought. I took a piece of history that has crystallised over time and that has a lot of negative energy in it. People have died in such a horrible way and I have taken pieces related to that land of destruction. Since then, bad luck has played with me and my family. We cannot ever seem to get ahead in life." Interestingly, Nicole, too, suffered from breast cancer, resulting in a double mastectomy. Her family was in financial trouble due to her illness.
Meanwhile, an X (formerly Twitter) user wrote on his handle: "People think there is a similar curse on the rocks from the volcanoes in Hawaii, but the truth is that it is illegal to remove anything from a National Park. So, tour guides and Park Rangers made up the curse to discourage people from taking souvenirs." Another user stated: "No one should steal from heritage sites."
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