Photos can capture a variety of moments from events so that they can be remembered for a long time. With photos, we can see the history in them and look at events in ancient times. If you delve deeper, there are so many historical photos that show the mysterious and sinister dark side.
Some of these photos are part of a history we may not know about. However, instead of being amazed, you might actually think these photos are scary.
Frilled Shark
This terrible creature lives on the bottom of the sea. Itʼs a frilled shark or frayed shark. Even though it was never seen, this sharkʼs referred to as a living fossil. You can find this creature at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean. Regarding how to hunt or how to find shark prey on this one, the researchers assume that this shark moves like a snake. It will lunge at the prey, and then eat the prey alive.
Russian Famine
The Russian famine of 1921–1922 is known as the Povolzhye (Поволжье) famine, which occurred in Bolshevik, Russia. World War I and the civil war also caused more than 30 million people to be malnourished in Russia.
Political policies in the country at that time also aggravated the famine. This famine in Russia afflicted especially the peasants. Starving peasants were even seen digging up newly buried corpses to retrieve their meat, as well as eating grass and animals previously thought to be pets.
Lipstick Killer
William George Heirens, also known as the Lipstick Killer, is a serial killer from America. He was found guilty in 1946 after he confessed to killing three people between June 1945 and January 1946. He got a nickname for the famous message written in lipstick at the scene.
For heavens sake catch me before I kill more I cannot control myself.
Raised in a poor and dysfunctional family, Heirens began to commit crimes when he was a child. However, he hoarded all his loot, never selling any of it.
Mummified Victims of Moskvin
A man from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia named Anatoly Moskvin shocked the world with the act of theft of corpses. It said he had looted at least 500 funerals and retrieved 29 bodies of girls to take to his apartment. In fact, in his 2011 testimony, he never admitted guilt.
Joseph Göbbels And The “Eyes Of Hate”
Nazi Propaganda Minister, Joseph Göbbels, looked cheerful and unconcerned when he first met photographer Alfed Eisenstaedt. In a close-up photo, this Third Reich politician was caught on camera smiling at a League of Nations meeting in Geneva in September 1933.
But when Göbbels knew that LIFE magazine photographer Eisenstaedt was a Jew, his expression was completely different. Furthermore, when Eisenstaedt approached Göbbels to photograph him, the politicianʼs expression was very different.
Instead of smiling, he pouted towards the camera. The photo with his hateful look and tense posture exuding hostility was then famous.
The Frozen Corpse Of 19th-Century Sailor John Torrington
This is the body of John Torrington, a young sailor who perished alongside over 100 others in the doomed Franklin Expedition of 1845. The expedition was meant to be an historic voyage to locate the elusive and lucrative Northwest Passage to Asia through the Arctic. Instead, it was one of the most harrowing maritime disasters of the 19th century, as some 130 sailors became trapped in Arctic ice and froze, starved, or cannibalized each other to death. Nobody knew quite where the men had died until Torringtonʼs corpse was discovered by researchers in 1986, buried under ice on Beechey Island in the Canadian Arctic.
The Last Photo Of Jolee Callan
On August 30, 2015, Jolee Callan and her ex Loren Bunner went hiking in Cheaha State Park in Alabama. Callan was 18 years old and preparing to leave town for college in a few weeks, but she agreed to go on the hike with her ex-boyfriend who was feeling frustrated. Unbeknownst to Callan, Bunner had brought a gun with him. While Callan was admiring the scenery, Bunner shot her in the head and then disposed of her body over the 40-foot cliff seen in this photograph. This picture is the last known photograph of Callan, taken by Bunner moments before he murdered her.
The Secret Bondage Photos Of The BTK Killer
Dennis Rader, a Boy Scout troop leader and church council president, appeared to be a devoted husband and proud father of two. However, unbeknownst to anyone, he was also a serial killer who murdered 10 people in and around Wichita, Kansas between 1974 and 1991. Rader dubbed himself the “BTK Killer” because of his pattern to “Bind,” “Torture,” and “Kill.” In 2005, Rader was finally captured. Authorities then discovered a hidden collection of bondage photographs, including the one displayed here.
The Last Portrait Of The Lawson Family
Although it seems like an ordinary family photo, this snapshot was taken only a few days before the patriarch, Charlie Lawson (the man standing second from the right), killed everyone shown in this picture on Christmas Day in 1929. Only Arthur, the 16-year-old seen in the top left corner, managed to survive the massacre.
The Mouth Of A Leatherback Sea Turtle
Although it may resemble something from a science fiction film, this is actually the mouth of a leatherback sea turtle. This type of turtle is the largest of its species and can grow up to eight feet long, weighing as much as 2,000 pounds. Unlike other turtles, the leatherback doesnʼt have a hard shell. Instead of teeth, it has numerous papillae that give its mouth, esophagus, and gut a demonic appearance.
The Human Skin Gloves Of Ed Gein
The heinous crimes committed by Ed Gein in the mid-1950s were so disturbingly gruesome that they inspired works such as The Chainsaw Massacre and Psycho. Gein, who lived in Plainfield, Wisconsin, not only robbed graves but also murdered innocent women, using their body parts to create furniture and clothing. The true extent of his depravity was only revealed upon his arrest in 1957 when the police searched his home and found mutilated bodies, bowls made of skulls, and a lampshade crafted from a personʼs face. They also discovered gloves made entirely of human skin.
The Snaggle-Toothed Snake-Eel
The snake-eel with its jagged teeth is considered one of the most frightening creatures on the planet. Whatʼs particularly chilling about these animals is that they can grow up to three feet in length and are often found in tropical waters, sometimes at depths as shallow as 16 feet. This specific specimen was caught near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in 2018, and its eyes appear to be bulging out, adding to its already terrifying appearance, possibly due to exposure to the elements.
The Great Gorge Of Ruth Glacier
Photographer Aaron Hueyʼs legs are seen dangling over the edge of the Great Gorge of Alaskaʼs Ruth Glacier, which happens to be the deepest glacial gorge in the world. Portions of the hole are over a thousand years old, and it measures a staggering 3,700 feet deep. The only thing standing between Huey and an endless fall into the abyss is an ice sheet that he chose to trust. As he later admitted, the possibility of a perilous slide into an icy demise was all too easy to imagine.
The Mummified Corpse Of Manfred Fritz Bajorat
On February 25, 2016, fishermen in the Philippines came across a yacht that appeared to be deserted, but upon further inspection, they discovered a mummified body on board. The authorities found documents nearby that helped identify the man as Manfred Fritz Bajorat, an experienced German sailor who was found slumped over his desk. Itʼs believed that he died while attempting to use the radio, possibly to call for help. To this day, it remains a mystery how he passed away or how he remained naturally mummified in the same position where he died.
An Explorerʼs Final Photo Before Being Cannibalized By A Remote Tribe
Michael Rockefeller, seen in the center, was the son of Nelson Rockefeller, former Governor of New York and later the Vice President of the United States. Born into a wealthy and privileged family, Michaelʼs life took a gruesome turn when he journeyed to Papua New Guinea in the early 1960s. Itʼs believed that the Asmat people, who were notorious for practicing cannibalism and beheading their victims, may have killed and consumed the young explorer during one of his expeditions.
- Photos serve as a powerful medium to capture and preserve moments for posterity, revealing both history and dark narratives of past events.
- Historical photographs often unveil unsettling aspects of human experience, sometimes evoking fear rather than fascination.
- The Frilled Shark, a rare creature found at the ocean's depths, is recognized as a living fossil, known for its unique hunting method resembling a snake's lunge.
- The Russian famine of 1921-1922, known as the Povolzhye famine, resulted in severe malnutrition for over 30 million people due to World War I, civil unrest, and poor political decisions, leading desperate peasants to resort to cannibalism.
- William George Heirens, dubbed the "Lipstick Killer," was an American serial killer active in the mid-1940s, known for leaving a chilling lipstick message at a crime scene and stemming from a troubled upbringing.
- Anatoly Moskvin, from Nizhny Novgorod, infamously looted over 500 funerals, bringing 29 corpses of young girls to his home, showing no remorse during his confession.
- In a striking photograph, Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Göbbels displayed contrasting emotions when interacting with Jewish photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, showcasing the underlying prejudice of the era.
- John Torrington, a sailor from the ill-fated Franklin Expedition (1845), was found frozen on Beechey Island in 1986, revealing the expedition's tragic end in ice and starvation.
- On August 30, 2015, Jolee Callan was fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend, Loren Bunner, during a hike in Alabama. The last photo of her, taken moments before the murder, captures her unaware of the impending tragedy.
- Dennis Rader, the so-called “BTK Killer,” led a double life as a family man while murdering 10 people between 1974 and 1991. Captured in 2005, police uncovered his disturbing collection of bondage photographs.
- The Lawson family portrait, taken shortly before Christmas 1929, captures a family tragically oblivious to their fate. Patriarch Charlie Lawson killed all family members present, leaving only 16-year-old Arthur alive.
- The mouth of a leatherback sea turtle appears almost extraterrestrial; this large turtle, reaching up to eight feet and 2,000 pounds, has a unique structure with papillae instead of teeth.
- Ed Gein, a notorious criminal from the 1950s, committed grave robberies and murders, using human body parts for disturbing purposes. His 1957 arrest revealed horrifying items, including gloves made of human skin.
- Notorious for its jagged teeth, considered among the most frightening creatures.
- Can grow up to three feet long, typically found in tropical waters, often at depths of 16 feet.
- A specific specimen was caught near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in 2018, displaying bulging eyes, possibly due to environmental exposure.
- Features photographer Aaron Huey dangling above the Great Gorge in Alaska, the deepest glacial gorge globally.
- The gorge is over a thousand years old and measures an impressive 3,700 feet deep.
- Huey’s only support is an ice sheet, instilling a sense of imminent danger from a potential fall.
- Discovered by fishermen in the Philippines on February 25, 2016, aboard a seemingly deserted yacht.
- Identified as Manfred Fritz Bajorat, an experienced German sailor found slumped at his desk.
- Circumstances of his death remain mysterious, as does the method of his natural mummification.
- Michael Rockefeller, son of former U.S. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, met a grisly fate in Papua New Guinea in the 1960s.
- Believed to have been killed and consumed by the cannibalistic Asmat tribe during his expedition.
Photography and History
Unsettling Historical Photographs
Frilled Shark
Russian Famine of 1921-1922
Lipstick Killer
Anatoly Moskvin
Göbbels and Eisenstaedt
Frozen Sailor of the Franklin Expedition
Jolee Callan's Last Photo
BTK Killer
Lawson Family Tragedy
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Ed Gein's Horrors
The Snaggle-Toothed Snake-Eel
The Great Gorge Of Ruth Glacier
The Mummified Corpse Of Manfred Fritz Bajorat
An Explorer's Final Photo Before Being Cannibalized
