Ash fell like snow.
The sky went black at noon.
And an entire city took its final breath… frozen in time.

In this Part 2 MACABRE Feature, The Fall of Pompeii series, "And Gods Turned Their Gaze" , Blaire takes you deep into the last hours of Pompeii—a city that lived fast, loved boldly, and died in an instant under the fury of Mount Vesuvius. Immerse yourself in this tragic tale of humanity and the wrath of nature.

This is one of our most atmospheric features yet—packed with cinematic scoring, immersive sound design, and Blaire’s dark, poetic narration that brings ancient tragedy straight into your headphones.Want More MACABRE? Spotify subscribers get ad free content, early access and exclusive bonus episodes .

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Resources: Vesuvius | Facts, Location, & Eruptions | Britannica

Home - Pompeii Online

Pompeii: Bodies, Mount Vesuvius & Herculaneum | HISTORY

Pompeii: A Snapshot of Ancient Roman Life | History Hit

What Was Life Like in Pompeii Before Mount Vesuvius Erupted Nearly 2,000 Years Ago?

Archaeologists find records of Pompeii survivors that reveal how they rebuilt their lives | PBS News

Timeline: Pompeii

A Guide to the Pompeii Excavations

A minute-by-minute account of the Pompeii eruption, revealed in agonizing detail | Science | AAAS

Pompeii casts: where they are found and what they are

The two letters written by Pliny the Younger describing the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD

Lupanar of Pompeii: Secrets, Erotic Frescoes & Visitor Guide

Gladiatorial games in Pompeii - Pompeii Online

History of archaeological excavations of Pompeii (Italy)

In tonight’s Macabre Feature, Part 1, The Fall of Pompeii, of Plight and Precipice, we’re traveling back to a moment frozen beneath ash and fire.

This is one of our most atmospheric features yet—packed with cinematic scoring, immersive sound design, and Blaire’s dark, poetic narration that brings ancient tragedy straight into your headphones.
A city that never saw the sky turning black, or the mountain waking up angry.
A place where life… stopped mid-breath

We’re peeling back the ash, sifting through the final seconds, and walking through a tragedy so sudden it feels like the world held its breath and never exhaled.

This is history at its most catastrophic… and its most human.

Want More Macabre?

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Resources: Vesuvius | Facts, Location, & Eruptions | Britannica

Home - Pompeii Online

Pompeii: Bodies, Mount Vesuvius & Herculaneum | HISTORY

Pompeii: A Snapshot of Ancient Roman Life | History Hit

What Was Life Like in Pompeii Before Mount Vesuvius Erupted Nearly 2,000 Years Ago?

Archaeologists find records of Pompeii survivors that reveal how they rebuilt their lives | PBS News

Timeline: Pompeii

A Guide to the Pompeii Excavations

A minute-by-minute account of the Pompeii eruption, revealed in agonizing detail | Science | AAAS

Pompeii casts: where they are found and what they are

The two letters written by Pliny the Younger describing the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD

Lupanar of Pompeii: Secrets, Erotic Frescoes & Visitor Guide

Gladiatorial games in Pompeii - Pompeii Online

History of archaeological excavations of Pompeii (Italy)

Step into the wardrobe… if you dare.

In this episode of MACABRE: Dark History, Halley struts down the blood-soaked runway of Fashion Victims Throughout History — where the looks were lethal, the makeup was murderous, and the wigs had more bugs than a motel mattress.

From deadly eyeliner that blinded, to makeup that could kill you faster than a jealous corset, to the unhinged world of Coochie Couture (yes… we’re talking merkins), Halley serves the unfiltered, unpowdered truth behind style trends that literally took people out.

We’re talking:
💄 Toxic cosmetics
👠 Heels that slayed — and not in a cute way
🎀 Wigs that crawled, exploded, and sometimes combusted
🩸 Fashion statements that made their final statement

Perfect for fashion lovers, haters, and anyone who has ever muttered “I’d die for that outfit” and meant it a little too literally.

Grab your poisoned rouge and your towering wig cage — it’s time to walk the runway of ruin.

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SOURCES:

Ancient Egyptian Eyeliner & Cosmetics

Kohl (cosmetics) – FIT Fashion History
https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/kohl/

“Eyeliner: A Cultural History” – NPR Illinois
https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-11-29/eyeliner-a-cultural-history-traces-the-historical-significance-of-the-iconic-cosmetic

“Hair and Makeup in Ancient Egypt” – Curationist
https://www.curationist.org/editorial-features/article/hair-and-makeup-in-ancient-egypt

Victorian Pale-Face Cosmetics, Toxic Makeup & Arsenic
“Deadly Beauty: The Poisons Used in Makeup Through the Ages” – Discover Magazine
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/deadly-beauty-the-poisons-used-in-makeup-through-the-ages-44253

“Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder: How Victorians Used Common Poisons” – Molly Brown House Museum
https://mollybrown.org/beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder-how-victorians-used-common-poisons-to-become-drop-dead-gorgeous/

“Killer Clothing Was All the Rage in the 19th Century” – National Geographic
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/dress-hat-fashion-clothing-mercury-arsenic-poison-history

Wigs, Wig Cages, Crawling Hairpieces

18th-Century Wigs & Wigmakers – Georgian Era
https://georgianera.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/18th-century-wigs-and-wigmakers/
“A Hairy Subject — Secrecy, Shame and Victorian Wigs”
https://georgianera.wordpress.com/2023/02/13/a-hairy-subject-secrecy-shame-and-victorian-wigs/

Crinoline Fires, Dress Fires & Flammable Fashion
(Multiple confirmed deaths & historical accounts)
“Fatal Fashion: 21 Historical Fashion Trends that Led to Death” – Medium
https://perfectmess.medium.com/fatal-fashion-21-historical-fashion-trends-that-led-to-the-death-of-many-d1d3e58207d6

Radium Cosmetics & Radioactive Beauty
“Radioactive Cosmetics and Radiant Beauty” – Actas Dermo
https://www.actasdermo.org/en-radioactive-cosmetics-radiant-beauty-articulo-S1578219020302730

Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History — goodreads edition: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40828078-killer-style

Welcome back for Part 2 of this MACABRE Feature. The Black Dahlia , A City of Suspects.

As Los Angeles reeled from the Black Dahlia case, the investigation exploded into a frenzy of false leads, confessions, and high-profile suspects. In Part Two, we walk into the chaos that followed — the detectives, the tabloids, the theories, and the men who suddenly found themselves in the crosshairs. Some were legitimate. Some were liars. Some just wanted the attention. And one of them might just be the killer.

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Sources – The Black Dahlia

1. FBI Vault – The Black Dahlia Case File
   https://vault.fbi.gov/The%20Black%20Dahlia

2. George Hodel’s District Attorney Files & FBI Surveillance Transcripts
   http://www.stevehodel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/dist-atty-files-hodel-black-dahlia-1.pdf

3. Steve Hodel – Black Dahlia Avenger (Official Site & Blog)
   https://www.stevehodel.com/

4. Larry Harnisch – The Daily Mirror (Research Blog)
   https://ladailymirror.com/

5. Los Angeles Times Archives – Black Dahlia Coverage (1947)
   https://www.latimes.com/archives

6. Newspapers.com – Black Dahlia Search (Filtered: 1947)
   https://www.newspapers.com/search/?query=%22black%20dahlia%22&dr_year=1947-1947

7. History.com – “Black Dahlia Murder: The True Story”
   https://www.history.com/news/black-dahlia-murder-true-story

8. Biography.com – “Elizabeth Short – The Black Dahlia”
   https://www.biography.com/crime/elizabeth-short

9. Crime Museum – “The Black Dahlia Murder”
   https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/famous-murders/the-black-dahlia-murder/

10. The Sowden House – Official History (George Hodel Residence)
    https://www.thesowdenhouse.com/history

In 1947, a young woman with Hollywood dreams became the center of one of the most infamous unsolved cases in American history. In Part One of this MACABRE Feature, we focus on who Elizabeth Short really was — beyond the headlines, beyond the sensationalism, before she became the legend. We dig into her life, her search for belonging, the world she fell into, and what set the stage for her final days in Los Angeles.

This is the story of the woman at the center of the mystery — before the crime scene photos and before the world gave her a name she never asked for.

Be sure to follow for next week's shocking conclusion.

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Sources – The Black Dahlia

1. FBI Vault – The Black Dahlia Case File
   https://vault.fbi.gov/The%20Black%20Dahlia

2. George Hodel’s District Attorney Files & FBI Surveillance Transcripts
   http://www.stevehodel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/dist-atty-files-hodel-black-dahlia-1.pdf

3. Steve Hodel – Black Dahlia Avenger (Official Site & Blog)
   https://www.stevehodel.com/

4. Larry Harnisch – The Daily Mirror (Research Blog)
   https://ladailymirror.com/

5. Los Angeles Times Archives – Black Dahlia Coverage (1947)
   https://www.latimes.com/archives

6. Newspapers.com – Black Dahlia Search (Filtered: 1947)
   https://www.newspapers.com/search/?query=%22black%20dahlia%22&dr_year=1947-1947

7. History.com – “Black Dahlia Murder: The True Story”
   https://www.history.com/news/black-dahlia-murder-true-story

8. Biography.com – “Elizabeth Short – The Black Dahlia”
   https://www.biography.com/crime/elizabeth-short

9. Crime Museum – “The Black Dahlia Murder”
   https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/famous-murders/the-black-dahlia-murder/

10. The Sowden House – Official History (George Hodel Residence)
    https://www.thesowdenhouse.com/history

Join the ladies of MACABRE for part two of executions throughout history. From ancient history to the industrial executions of the modern era, humanity has always treated death as a form of macabre theatre—sometimes with audience participation. Strap in for your double dose of medical macabre, shocking ingenuity, and blood-soaked execution history. Now… flip that switch!

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Paid supporters on Patreon, Join us for Macabre Movie Nights and Game Nights :⁠⁠⁠ Macabre Patreon⁠⁠⁠

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Email us at [email protected]

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Sources

https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/botched-executions-0017362

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/botched-executions

https://www.history.co.uk/article/8-famous-botched-executions

Ward, Richard, editor. A Global History of Execution and the Criminal Corpse. Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. “Introduction: A Global History of Execution and the Criminal Corpse.” NCBI Bookshelf, National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK379343/

“Garrote.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/garrote. Accessed [add access date].

“Garrote.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrote. Accessed [add access date].

“Salvador Puig Antich.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Puig_Antich. Accessed [add access date].

“Spanish Executions.” Capital Punishment U.K., www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/spain.html. Accessed [add access date].

Harmon, Jennifer, et al. “Strangulation Injuries.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459282/. Accessed [add access date].

Petrocelli, Michael, and Richard A. Jaffe. “Ligature Strangulation: Forensic and Medico-Legal Aspects.” PubMed Central, U.S. National Library of Medicine, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/. Accessed [add access date].

Constitución Española de 1978.Gobierno de España, 1978. Official legal document abolishing the garrote and capital punishment in civilian law.

“History of the Death Penalty” – Death Penalty Information Center (U.S.)
Link: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/resources-high-school/about-the-death-penalty/history-of-the-death-penalty Death Penalty Information Center
Good for U.S. historical timelines of execution practices.

“Executions Overview” – Death Penalty Information Center
Link: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/executions-overview Death Penalty Information Center

“Introduction: A Global History of Execution and the Criminal Corpse” – National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) / Book chapter
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK379343/ NCBI

"13 of the most brutal execution methods from the ancient world” – History UK
Link: https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-most-brutal-methods-of-execution-from-the-ancient-world Sky HISTORY TV channel

“Readings – History of the Death Penalty | The Execution” – PBS / FRONTLINE
Link: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/history-of-the-death-penalty/ PBS

“Historical Federal Executions” – U.S. Marshals Service
Link: https://www.usmarshals.gov/who-we-are/history/historical-reading-room/historical-federal-executions U.S. Marshals Service

Join the ladies of MACABRE for part two of executions throughout history. From ancient history to the industrial executions of the modern era, humanity has always treated death as a form of macabre theatre—sometimes with audience participation. Strap in for your double dose of medical macabre, shocking ingenuity, and blood-soaked execution history. Now… flip that switch!

Join the ladies of MACABRE for part one of this two-part plunge into the twisted world of executions throughout history. From ancient arenas to modern death chambers, humanity has always treated death as a form of macabre theatre—sometimes with audience participation, or animals, and insects. Buckle up for your dose of medical macabre, shocking ingenuity, and blood-soaked history. Now… off with their heads.

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Email us at [email protected]

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Sources

https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/botched-executions-0017362

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/botched-executions

https://www.history.co.uk/article/8-famous-botched-executions

Ward, Richard, editor. A Global History of Execution and the Criminal Corpse. Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. “Introduction: A Global History of Execution and the Criminal Corpse.” NCBI Bookshelf, National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK379343/

“Garrote.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/garrote. Accessed [add access date].

“Garrote.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrote. Accessed [add access date].

“Salvador Puig Antich.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Puig_Antich. Accessed [add access date].

“Spanish Executions.” Capital Punishment U.K., www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/spain.html. Accessed [add access date].

Harmon, Jennifer, et al. “Strangulation Injuries.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459282/. Accessed [add access date].

Petrocelli, Michael, and Richard A. Jaffe. “Ligature Strangulation: Forensic and Medico-Legal Aspects.” PubMed Central, U.S. National Library of Medicine, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/. Accessed [add access date].

Constitución Española de 1978.Gobierno de España, 1978. Official legal document abolishing the garrote and capital punishment in civilian law.

“History of the Death Penalty” – Death Penalty Information Center (U.S.)
Link: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/resources-high-school/about-the-death-penalty/history-of-the-death-penalty Death Penalty Information Center
Good for U.S. historical timelines of execution practices.

“Executions Overview” – Death Penalty Information Center
Link: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/executions-overview Death Penalty Information Center

“Introduction: A Global History of Execution and the Criminal Corpse” – National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) / Book chapter
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK379343/ NCBI

"13 of the most brutal execution methods from the ancient world” – History UK
Link: https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-most-brutal-methods-of-execution-from-the-ancient-world Sky HISTORY TV channel

“Readings – History of the Death Penalty | The Execution” – PBS / FRONTLINE
Link: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/history-of-the-death-penalty/ PBS

“Historical Federal Executions” – U.S. Marshals Service
Link: https://www.usmarshals.gov/who-we-are/history/historical-reading-room/historical-federal-executions U.S. Marshals Service

Beyond its crumbling gothic façade lies one of America’s darkest mysteries.
In this episode of MACABRE: A Dark History Podcast, we descend into the halls of Eastern State Penitentiary—once the most feared prison in the world. From its radical experiment in solitary confinement to the brutal punishments like the iron gag and the mad chair, Eastern State was designed to “break” spirits…some of which might still remain inside its walls.

Join us for the final episode of spooky season behind this infamous prison's walls.

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SOURCES:

• Eastern State Penitentiary Official Site & Audio Tour
  

• Wikipedia – Eastern State Penitentiary
  

• Haunted U.S. – Eastern State
  

• Philly Ghosts – Hauntings at ESP
  

• Ghost City Tours – Haunted ESP
  

• NPIWeb Haunted Series: Eastern State

• Eastern State Penitentiary Official Site – History https://easternstate.org/about/history-of-eastern-state-penitentiary
  

• Wikipedia – Eastern State Penitentiary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_State_Penitentiary
  

• Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia – Eastern State Penitentiary https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/eastern-state-penitentiary
  

• Library of Congress – Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) – architectural photos & documents https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/pa1067/
  

• Youtube video- Tourist video of Steve Buscemi guided audio tour : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW2BlcoxN2c

This episode slithers into the murky world of American cryptids. From the bayous of Louisiana to Midwestern riverbanks, we hunt three legendary beasts that refuse to stay folklore.

• Rougarou – The Cajun werewolf curse lurking in Louisiana swamps.

• Loveland Frogman – A wand-waving, glowing-eyed amphibian that left Ohio police stunned.

• Muddy Monster – A towering, mud-caked terror that threw an Illinois town into panic.

We explore eyewitness sightings and ocal legends. Monsters may hide in the dark—but they also live in our minds.

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It's that time again! It’s here! Your Listener Tales Spooktacular—Season 3 episode. This one is packed with tiny doors, disappearing objects, spiritual pranksters, cemetery playmates, and unexplainable wilderness weirdness. Thanks for the spoop worthy submissions dear listeners we hope you keep em coming our way… now turn out the lights (if you dare) and hit the play button.

Fair warning: This one has fright and feels.

This episode is NOT sponsored by Kleenex, but it should be.

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