Episode Overview

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Ripley's Believe It Or Not - 1 Minute Episodes (397) Well of Death
Date: December 31, 2025

This episode features a classic "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" radio segment, reviving the quirky and often macabre facts that fascinated families during the Golden Age of Radio. The focus is on outlandish customs and grim historical sites, culminating in the chilling story of the "Well of Death" at Istanbul’s Prison of the Seven Towers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Unusual Customs: The Matakam Tribe

• The segment opens with a bizarre cultural tradition from the Matakam tribe in Africa:
  • Bridal Headwear: A bride wears half a pumpkin, dyed red, as a ceremonial hat.
  • Maternal Adaptation: Upon giving birth, the bride reverses the pumpkin to become her baby’s cradle.
  • Attribution (00:30):

    “A bride in the Matakam tribe in Africa always wears half a pumpkin dyed red as a hat. Then when she has a baby, the pumpkin is reversed on her head to serve as the infant's cradle. Believe it or not.”

2. The Well of Death: A Grim Historical Site

• The narrative shifts to an infamous location in Istanbul:
  • Location: Prison of the Seven Towers, Istanbul.
  • Historical Use: Served as the execution site for thousands of state prisoners who were beheaded by sultanic decree.
  • Final Resting Place: Instead of burial, the bodies were unceremoniously dropped into the "Well of Death."
  • Macabre Detail:
    • The Well was considered bottomless due to its odd placement; bodies would be washed out to sea, denying any final resting place.
  • Attribution (00:50):

    “The Well of Death, located in the Prison of the Seven Towers in Istanbul, was aptly named. It has a long and sorrowful history. Literally thousands of state prisoners who were beheaded by the order of reigning sultans found no final resting place here. After death, their bodies were dropped into the well, which, because of its unusual location, was bottomless. Once dropped into the well, the bodies were always washed out to sea. Believe it or not.”

Memorable Quotes

• On Unusual Customs:

  “A bride in the Matakam tribe in Africa always wears half a pumpkin dyed red as a hat. Then when she has a baby, the pumpkin is reversed on her head to serve as the infant's cradle. Believe it or not.”
  (00:30, Narrator)

• On the Well of Death:

  “The Well of Death, located in the Prison of the Seven Towers in Istanbul, was aptly named... their bodies were dropped into the well, which, because of its unusual location, was bottomless. Once dropped into the well, the bodies were always washed out to sea. Believe it or not.”
  (00:50, Narrator)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:30 – Introduction of the Matakam tribe’s unique bridal custom
• 00:50 – Story of the Well of Death at the Prison of the Seven Towers, Istanbul

Tone and Style

The narration carries Ripley’s signature blend of deadpan delivery and captivating curiosity, aiming to astonish listeners with strange truths from around the world and history. The phrases “Believe it or not” are used as dramatic punctuation, true to the series' iconic style.

Summary

In this brief but memorable episode of Harold’s Old Time Radio, listeners are taken on a whirlwind tour of human eccentricity and the darker side of history, all within a single minute. The juxtaposition of an unusual marriage tradition with the haunting tale of Istanbul’s “Well of Death” showcases the breadth of the Ripley’s collection—where truth consistently proves stranger than fiction.