Box of Extraordinary Deaths
The Box of Extraordinary Deaths is a series of illustrations based on real stories of people dying in unusual and fascinating ways throughout the centuries.
Milo of Croton
(6th century BC)
A Greek wrestler who came upon a tree-trunk split with wedges. Testing his strength, he tried to rend it in twho. The wedges fell, trapping him in the tree and making him unable to defend himself from hungry wolves.
(6th century BC)
A Greek wrestler who came upon a tree-trunk split with wedges. Testing his strength, he tried to rend it in twho. The wedges fell, trapping him in the tree and making him unable to defend himself from hungry wolves.
Sigurd the Mighty(892)
A Viking warrior who strapped the head of his defeated enemy to his horse's saddle.
The teeth of the head grazed against his leg as he rode, causing a fatal infection.
A Viking warrior who strapped the head of his defeated enemy to his horse's saddle.
The teeth of the head grazed against his leg as he rode, causing a fatal infection.
Jean-Baptiste Lully
(687)
A music composer who died of a gangrenous abscess after piercing his foot with a staff while he was vigorously conducting. It was costumary at that time to conduct by banging a staff on the floor.
(687)
A music composer who died of a gangrenous abscess after piercing his foot with a staff while he was vigorously conducting. It was costumary at that time to conduct by banging a staff on the floor.
London Beer Flood
(1814)
An unfortunate event in which nine people were killed (some drowned, some died from injuries, and one succumbed to alcohol poisoning) when 323,000 imperial gallons of beer in the Meux & Company Brewery
burst out of their vats and gushed into the streets.
(1814)
An unfortunate event in which nine people were killed (some drowned, some died from injuries, and one succumbed to alcohol poisoning) when 323,000 imperial gallons of beer in the Meux & Company Brewery
burst out of their vats and gushed into the streets.
Frank Hayes
(1923)
A jockey at Belmont Park, New York, who died of a heart attack during the course of his first race. His horse finished in first place with his body still attached to the saddle.
(1923)
A jockey at Belmont Park, New York, who died of a heart attack during the course of his first race. His horse finished in first place with his body still attached to the saddle.
Isadora Duncan
(1927)
A dancer who died of a broken neck when her long scarf caught in the wheel
of an automobile in which she was a passenger.
(1927)
A dancer who died of a broken neck when her long scarf caught in the wheel
of an automobile in which she was a passenger.
Langley Collyer
(1947)
An extreme case of compulsive hoarding, who was found dead in his home in New York.
He was crushed by a large pile of objects, books and random clutter.
(1947)
An extreme case of compulsive hoarding, who was found dead in his home in New York.
He was crushed by a large pile of objects, books and random clutter.
Alan Stacey
(1960)
A Formula One driver, who died in a crash during the Belgian Grand Prix when a bird flew into his face.
(1960)
A Formula One driver, who died in a crash during the Belgian Grand Prix when a bird flew into his face.
David Grundman
(1982)
Who died near Lake Pleasant, Arizona while shooting at cacti with his shotgun.
After he fired several shots at a 26-foot-tall saguaro cactus from extremely close range,
an arm of the cactus detached and crushed him.
(1982)
Who died near Lake Pleasant, Arizona while shooting at cacti with his shotgun.
After he fired several shots at a 26-foot-tall saguaro cactus from extremely close range,
an arm of the cactus detached and crushed him.
Soccer Team
(1998)
An entire football team was killed by lightning during a match in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Everyone on the opposing home team survived.
(1998)
An entire football team was killed by lightning during a match in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Everyone on the opposing home team survived.
