The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Unsolved Mysteries

by Colin Wilson

  Pash, Florence ref 1

  Pater, Walter ref 1

  Patrick, St ref 1

  Patterson, Roger ref 1

  Paul, Saint ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Paul, Tsar ref 1

  Pauli, Wolfgang ref 1

  Pauwels, Louis ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8

  Payne, Daniel ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Pearce, Charles E. ref 1

  Pecora, Dr David ref 1, ref 2

  Pedachenko, Alexander ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Pellegrino, Cardinal ref 1

  “People of the Secret” ref 1

  Pepys, Samuel ref 1

  Peter the Great, Tsar ref 1

  “phantom drummer of Tedworth” ref 1, ref 2

  “phantom menagerie” ref 1

  Phelps, Rev. Eliakim, and family ref 1

  “Philadelphia experiment” ref 1

  Philip the Fair (le Bel), King of France ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  philosopher’s stone ref 1, ref 2

  Philostratus ref 1

  Pia, Secondo ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Picknett, Lynn ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Piltdown man ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Piper, Mrs Leonore ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Piri Re’is map ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8

  Pitt, William, Earl of Chatham ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  Plantard de Saint-Clair, Pierre ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Plato ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11, ref 12, ref 13, ref 14, ref 15, ref 16, ref 17, ref 18

  Playfair, Guy Lyon ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7

  Plogojowitz, Peter ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Podmore, Frank ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Poe, Edgar Allan ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Polanyi, Michael ref 1

  Polillo, Florence (“Flo”), murder of ref 1, ref 2

  Polk, Bishop Leonidas ref 1, ref 2

  poltergeists ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11, ref 12, ref 13, ref 14, ref 15, ref 16, ref 17, ref 18, ref 19

  Pomeroy, Jesse ref 1

  Pompadour, Mme de ref 1, ref 2

  Pontefract poltergeist ref 1

  Ponto, Jürgen, murder of ref 1

  Pontoppidan, Bishop ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Popper, Sir Karl ref 1

  Porshnev, Professor Boris ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  portolans (maps) ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  possession ref 1, ref 2

  Poussin, Nicolas ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9

  Powell, Lieut-Colonel Arthur E. ref 1

  precognition ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  Priestley, J.B. ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Prince, Clive ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Prince, Dr Morton ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Prince, Dr Walter Franklin ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Priory of Sion ref 1, ref 2, ref 3 (passim) ref 1, ref 2

  Pritchard, Diane and family ref 1

  Project Blue Book ref 1, ref 2

  Proll, Astrid ref 1

  Proll, Thorwald ref 1

  Pronin, Dr Alexander ref 1

  Proust, Marcel ref 1

  “psychic invasion” ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  psychokinesis ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  psychometry ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11

  Ptolemy ref 1

  Puharich, Andrija ref 1, ref 2

  Pulitzer, Dr Henry F. ref 1

  Pushkin, Alexander ref 1, ref 2

  Putnam, James ref 1

  Puységur, Armand de Chastenet, Marquis de ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Pylos, King Nestor’s palace ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Quartermaine, Helen ref 1

  Quicherat, Jules ref 1

  Radclyffe, Charles ref 1

  Raglan, Lord ref 1

  Raight, Dr Joseph ref 1

  Ramapithecus ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Randi, James ref 1

  Rankin, Capt. Sir Hugh and Lady ref 1

  rape/sexual assaults ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Raphael ref 1

  Raposo, Francisco ref 1

  Raspe, Jan-Carl ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Rasputin, Grigoriy ref 1, ref 2

  Ratcliffe Highway murders (1811) ref 1

  Reagan, President Ronald ref 1, ref 2

  Reedy, William Marion ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  reincarnation ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  Reeser, Mrs Mary ref 1

  Reich, Wilhelm ref 1

  Reinach, Professor Salomon ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Rennes-le-Château, mystery of ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Repplier, Agnes ref 1

  Richard the Lion Heart, King ref 1, ref 2

  Richelieu, Cardinal ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Richter, Franz ref 1

  Rickard, Bob ref 1, ref 2

  Ridgeway, John ref 1

  Rines, Dr Robert H. ref 1, ref 2

  Ritchie-Calder, Lord ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Robbins, Rossell Hope ref 1, ref 2

  Robert de Baudricourt ref 1, ref 2

  Roberts, Jane and Rob ref 1

  Robertson, Morgan ref 1

  Robin Hood ref 1

  Rockingham, Marquis of ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Roerich, Nicholas ref 1

  Rogers, Mary, death of ref 1, ref 2

  Ross, William ref 1

  Rosslyn chapel, Edinburgh ref 1

  Rouse, George ref 1

  Rowe, Nicholas ref 1

  Rowe, William Garfield ref 1

  Rowse, Dr A.L. ref 1

  RSPK ref 1, ref 2

  Rubinstein, Hilary ref 1

  Rudolf II, Emperor ref 1

  Rusk, James ref 1

  Ryle, Professor Gilbert ref 1

  Sacks, Oliver ref 1

  Sackville, Lord George ref 1, ref 2

  Sade, Marquis de ref 1

  Sadoul, Jacques ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Sagan, Carl ref 1

  St Clair, William ref 1, ref 2

  Saint-Germain, Comte de ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Saint-Mars, Governor of Pignerol ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Saint-Médard, the miracles of ref 1

  Saint-Quentin, Mme de ref 1

  Saklatvala, Beram ref 1

  Salisbury, Lord ref 1

  Sanderson, Ivan ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8

  Sandwich, Lord ref 1

  Santorini ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Sartre, Jean-Paul ref 1, ref 2

  Saunière, Béranger, the treasure of ref 1

  Sautuola, Don Marcelino de ref 1, ref 2

  Schatzman, Dr Morton ref 1

  Schemit, Jean ref 1, ref 2

  Schleyer, Dr Hans-Martin ref 1, ref 2

  Schliemann, Heinrich ref 1, ref 2

  Schmucker, Ulrich ref 1

  Schubert, Ingrid ref 1

  Schumann, Jüirgen ref 1

  Schwenter, Daniel ref 1

  Scopes, John ref 1

  Scott, Cyril ref 1

  Scott, Sir Peter ref 1

  Scott, Sir Walter ref 1

  Scott-Elliot W. ref 1, ref 2

  Scrutton, Robert ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Sea Kings of 6000 BC, maps of ref 1

  Sea Monsters ref 1

  Sea Peoples ref 1, ref 2

  Seaman, Donald ref 1, ref 2

  Searle, Frank ref 1

  Second June Movement ref 1

  Sède, Gérard de ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  sex: and human evolution ref 1, ref 2

  and possession ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  and vampirism ref 1, ref 2

  sex crimes ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Shackley, Dr Myra ref 1

  Shah, Idries ref 1, ref 2

 
Shakespeare, Susanna ref 1

  Shakespeare, William ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9

  Shallis, Michael ref 1, ref 2

  Shapley, Harlow ref 1, ref 2

  Shaw, George Bernard ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Shelburne, Lord ref 1

  Sheldrake, Rupert ref 1, ref 2

  Shiels, Tony “Doc” ref 1

  Shipton, Eric ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Shoemaker of Breslau ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Short, Elizabeth, murder of ref 1

  Shorter, Baxter ref 1

  Showery, Allan ref 1, ref 2

  Sickert, Joseph “Hobo” ref 1, ref 2 ref 3

  Sickert, Walter ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Sidney, Sir Philip ref 1

  Sigebert of Gembloux ref 1, ref 2

  Simon, Dr Benjamin ref 1

  Simpson, Sir George ref 1

  Sinnett, Alfred Percy ref 1, ref 2

  Skinner, Keith ref 1

  skull of doom ref 1

  Smith, Corinna ref 1, ref 2

  Smith, Captain Frederic ref 1

  Smith, Godfrey, ref 1, ref 2

  Smith, Joe Linden ref 1

  Smith, Joseph ref 1

  Smith, Dr S.A. ref 1

  Smith, William Henry ref 1, ref 2

  Smythe, Frank S. ref 1, ref 2

  Snelling, Harold ref 1

  Society for Psychical Research ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11, ref 12, ref 13, ref 14

  American ref 1, ref 2

  Socrates ref 1

  Sohnlein, Horst ref 1

  Solon ref 1

  Spandau Prison, W. Berlin ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Spence, Lewis ref 1, ref 2

  Spenser, Edmund ref 1

  Sperry, Roger ref 1

  Spiritism ref 1, ref 2

  Spiritualism ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11, ref 12, ref 13, ref 14, ref 15

  split-brain physiology/patients ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  spontaneous human combustion ref 1, ref 2

  Spurling, Christian ref 1, ref 2

  Stableford, Brian ref 1

  Stachula, Investigator Joseph ref 1

  Stacy, Dennis ref 1

  Stainton, Elizabeth, Prioress of Kirkless ref 1, ref 2

  Stammheim Jail, Stuttgart ref 1, ref 2

  Stanhope, Lord ref 1

  Stanley, Dr ref 1, ref 2

  Starkey, J.D. ref 1

  Steiner, Rudolf ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Stephen, James Kenneth ref 1, ref 2

  Stevenson, Professor Ian ref 1

  Stewart, William ref 1

  Stoker, Bram ref 1

  Stonehenge ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Stowell, Thomas ref 1

  Strabo ref 1

  Stratford-upon Avon ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Stride, Elizabeth, murder of ref 1

  Strong, Dr Leonell C. ref 1

  STURP, ref 1

  Sufism ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Summers, Rev. Montague ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  “Sundheim, Gaylord” ref 1

  Sutin, Lawrence ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Swanson, D.S. ref 1

  Swedenborg, Emanuel ref 1, ref 2

  Swift, Jonathan ref 1, ref 2

  synchronicity ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7

  tape-recording theory ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7

  Tarassov, Dr ref 1, ref 2

  Tartessos, lost city of ref 1

  Tavernier, Jean-Baptiste ref 1

  Taylor, Busty ref 1

  Taylor, Flight Leader Charles ref 1, ref 2

  Taylor, Squadron-Leader Jack ref 1, ref 2

  Taylor, John ref 1, ref 2

  Tchernine, Odette ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  telepathy ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7

  Temple, Robert ref 1, ref 2

  Teniers, David ref 1, ref 2

  Tennyson, Alfred Lord ref 1

  Tensing, Sherpa ref 1

  Tesla, Nicola ref 1, ref 2

  Texier, Charles ref 1

  Thaw, Harry ref 1, ref 2

  Theosophical Society ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7

  thermoluminescence ref 1

  Thestorides ref 1, ref 2

  Thomas, Glenn ref 1

  Thomas, Dr Hugh ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Thompson, David ref 1

  Thomson, J.J. ref 1, ref 2

  Thurston, Father Herbert ref 1

  time slips ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Tolkien, J.R.R. ref 1, ref 2

  Tolstoy, Leo ref 1

  Tolstoy, Nicolai ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Tombazi, N.A. ref 1

  Tornefort, Pitton de ref 1

  trances ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7

  Troy, Trojan War ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  Tucker, Dr Denys ref 1

  Tunguska see Great Siberian explosion

  Turin, Holy Shroud of ref 1, ref 2

  Tutankhamun’s Tomb ref 1, ref 2

  Twain, Mark ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  twins, identical ref 1

  “two-minds” theory ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  2001: A Space Odyssey (film) ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Tyrrell, G.N.M. ref 1

  UFOs ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11, ref 12, ref 13, ref 14, ref 15

  Umberto I, King of Italy ref 1

  Umberto II, king of Italy, ref 1, ref 2

  Urey, Harold ref 1

  Uther Pendragon, King ref 1, ref 2

  Valentine, Dr J. Manson ref 1

  Vallée, Jacques ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Vallentin, Antonia ref 1, ref 2

  Vallière, Louis de la ref 1, ref 2

  vampires ref 1, ref 2

  Van der Post, Laurens ref 1, ref 2

  Van Dusen, Wilson ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Van Vogt, A.E. ref 1

  Vandenburg, Philip ref 1, ref 2

  Vasari, Giorgio ref 1, ref 2

  Velikovsky, Immanuel ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Ventris, Michael ref 1

  Venus ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Vere, Francis ref 1

  Verzeni, Vincent 2355, ref 1

  Victoria, Queen ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Vignon, Paul ref 1, ref 2

  Visigoths, treasure of the ref 1, ref 2

  Vivé, Louis ref 1

  “Voice from the Grave” case ref 1

  Volgyesi, Ferenc ref 1, ref 2

  Volkonsky, Prince ref 1, ref 2

  Voltaire, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Volz, G.B. ref 1

  vortex theory of atoms ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Vortigern, King ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Voynich manuscript ref 1

  Wachtmeister, Constance ref 1, ref 2

  Waddell, Major L.A. ref 1

  Wakely, Chuck ref 1

  Walker, J.W. ref 1

  Wallace, Alfred Russel ref 1

  Wallace, Mrs Rose, murder of ref 1, ref 2

  Walpole, Horace ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Walsingham, Sir Thomas ref 1

  Walter, Elizabeth ref 1

  Walter, Franz ref 1, ref 2

  Walters, M.I. ref 1, ref 2

  Warren, Sir Charles ref 1, ref 2

  Wassermann, Jacob ref 1

  Walworth, Ralph Franklin ref 1, ref 2

  Ward, Rev. John ref 1

  Ward, R.H. ref 1

  Wassilko-Serecki, Countess Zoe ref 1

  Watkins, Alfred ref 1, ref 2

  “Watseka wonder” ref 1

  Watson, Lyell ref 1

  Webb Dr DeWitt ref 1

  Weigel, Arthur and Hortense ref 1

  Weiner, Dr J.S. ref 1

  Wells, H.G. ref 1, ref 2

  Wentz, W.Y.
Evans ref 1, ref 2

  Wesley, Rev. Samuel ref 1

  West, Dame Rebecca ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Wetherell, Duke ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Whateley, Anne ref 1

  Whillans, Don ref 1

  Whipple, Frank ref 1

  Whipple, Fred ref 1

  Whishaw, Maria ref 1, ref 2

  Whiston, W. ref 1

  White, F.H. ref 1

  White, Stanford ref 1, ref 2

  White, T.H. ref 1

  Whitecliffe, Harry ref 1

  Whitehead, Alfred North ref 1

  Whitman, Walt ref 1

  Whittington-Egan, Richard ref 1

  Whyte, Constance ref 1

  Wickland, Carl A. ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11

  Wilberforce, Bishop Samuel ref 1

  Wilde, Oscar ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Wilkes, John ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7

  William I the Conqueror, King ref 1

  William of Newburgh ref 1

  Williamson, Dr George Hunt ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Wilmot, Rev. James ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Wilson, Annie ref 1

  Wilson, Ian ref 1, ref 2

  Wilson, Colonel Robert ref 1, ref 2

  Winchester, J.H. ref 1

  Winkler, Hugo ref 1

  Winston, Harry ref 1

  Winterstein, Dr Alfred ref 1

  Witchell, Nicholas ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  witches ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  Witzke, Lothar ref 1

  Wolf, Fred Alan ref 1

  Wood, David ref 1

  Woodfall, Henry ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Woodward, Dr Arthur Smith ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Woolley, Leonard ref 1

  Wordsworth, William ref 1

  Wood, Simon ref 1

  Wood, Wendy ref 1, ref 2

  Worth, Patience ref 1, ref 2

  Worthen, Samuel Copp ref 1

  Wright, Elsie ref 1 passim

  Wright, Wilbur ref 1

  Wylie, Sir James ref 1, ref 2

  Wyntoun, Andrew ref 1

  Yeti or Abominable Snowman ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Yeats, W.B. ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  Yost, Caspar ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Young, Arthur ref 1

  Zana (“wild woman”) ref 1

  Ziegler, William G. ref 1

  Zierold, Maria Reyes de ref 1

  Zink, Dr David ref 1

  zombies ref 1

  ENDNOTES

  1. These and many similar cases are discussed in my 1981 book Poltergeist, in the chapter entitled “The Black Magic Connection”.

  2. For the history of psychometry, see my book The Psychic Detectives.

  3. The Devil’s Footprints, edited by G.A. Household, Devon Books 1985.

  4. In E. F. Bleiler, ed., Science Fiction Writers (New York: Scribner), 1982.

  5. Rowe achieved a different kind of notoriety in 1963 when he was murdered by two out-of-work labourers, who were later hanged.