Chase Vault
Heavy lead coffins moved by themselves inside a sealed tomb. Four times officials opened it. Four times the coffins were rearranged. No explanation found. The vault was finally abandoned.
The Chase Vault is the Caribbean’s most mysterious phenomenon.
The Vault
The Chase family tomb in Christ Church cemetery contained heavy lead coffins that were thought to be immovable, or so they believed.
The Disturbances
Four incidents occurred in 1812, 1816, 1819, and 1820. At each reopening, the coffins were found displaced and thrown around with no explanation.
The Witnesses
Official observers including Governor Lord Combermere, colonial officials, and religious leaders witnessed the phenomenon. Sand was spread to detect footprints, but none were found.
The Seals
Precautions taken included cement seals and official stamps, making tampering impossible. Yet the coffins still moved, creating an impossible mystery.
The Theories
Proposed explanations included earthquakes (though none were recorded), flooding (no evidence found), gases (insufficient explanation), and vandals (impossible given the seals), leaving only an unknown force as a possibility.
The Abandonment
The final decision came in 1820 when the vault was emptied and the coffins were buried elsewhere. The vault was left empty, the mystery unsolved and never explained.
Sources
Chase Vault - Wikipedia provides historical documentation of this phenomenon.