Strangest Things

The Psychograph, the Blood Mask and the Cursed Chicken Pot investigates perplexing historical objects and tests whether a machine can read personalities. It also examines in depth an ancient golden mask, strikingly painted with human blood, and a cursed chicken pot.

The Psychograph, the Blood Mask and the Cursed Chicken Pot is an episode of a programme that blends historical curiosity with a touch of the uncanny. The episode format allows the creators to focus on three distinct curiosities. The title itself signals the three main objects that will be examined, setting the tone for an intriguing investigation. The story opens by showcasing a range of perplexing historical objects, then turns its attention to a device that claims to read personalities. The hosts test whether the machine can discern traits, using the artefacts as a backdrop for this investigation. Throughout the segment, the hosts compare the machine's readings with the known histories of the items, creating a dialogue between technology and antiquity. One of the focal points is an ancient golden mask, its surface smeared with human blood. The mask’s eerie appearance and macabre coating serve as a tangible link to a darker past, adding a visceral element to the episode’s exploration of relics. Its golden make suggests high status, and the blood staining hints at a ritualistic or violent past, prompting speculation about its original purpose. The final oddity is a cursed chicken pot, described in terms of its reputation. By juxtaposing this seemingly mundane kitchen item with the other ominous artefacts, the programme shows how ordinary objects can acquire a sinister aura when history and superstition intertwine. Its reputation for bringing misfortune is presented without spectacle, relying on anecdotal accounts that echo the aura of mask and psychograph device.