50 Times People Found Bizarre Hidden Items Inside Their Homes

Hiding items in the walls of a house may seem bonkers, but it's actually a practice that has a long history behind it. As Joseph Heathcott, an architectural historian and urbanist who teaches at the New School in New York, explained to the New York Times, this practice is called 'immurement'.

It's an ancient practice that stretches across many different cultures and civilizations. "The history of Freemasonry traces its origins to the rituals of concealment by masons, sealing up secrets in their buildings," he explained. Take the artifacts Egyptian Pharaohs entombed in pyramids, or ritual objects in the walls of Roman villas.

Granted, immurement also meant burying a person alive, sometimes as a form of t*****e and punishment. However, sometimes it was performed on purpose or for ascetic reasons, with people even volunteering to be buried alive.

In Ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins were immured if they broke their chastity vows as form of punishment. In 1660, Indian prince Shah Shuja and his family were "closely confined in their apartments" and left to pass away from hunger. 

In Mongolia, people used immurement to bury their Khan. According to the traveler Ibn Battuta, "a large sepulcher was dug for him under the earth, in which a most beautiful couch was spread, and the Khan was with his weapons laid upon it. With him they placed all the gold and silver vessels he had in his house, together with four female slaves, and six of his favorite Mamluks, with a few vessels of drink."

But enough of this nightmare fuel—let's explore some of the things these people found in their houses, shall we?

First off, the physical Playboy Mansion key that one person found in their home. Did these really exist? Yes, up until 1966 Playboy made metal keys shaped like a rabbit head. Apparently, they're worth a pretty penny too, since you can buy them. Some are worth $690, while others are worth a mere $115. 

In the 60s, the keys became keycards. They had the name of the member of the club on them and granted access to all Playboy clubs. All you had to do was present the key to the Door Bunny and you would be let inside. For some, owning the key was merely a status symbol. Only 21% of the key holders ever went to a club.

Another person found a curious face jug at a hoarder's house. Historians call them 'face vessels'. According to the Smithsonian Institute, they originated in the South and were made by black slaves who worked as potters in the Edgefield District of South Carolina.