Gamma ray bursts are giant explosions that occur when material falls into a black hole. The bursts of radiation they produce are short, and can last a few seconds to a few days. This article explores the possibility that gamma ray bursts could have been observed by humans in the past, since the brightest ones are visible to the unaided eye, and might occur a few times per millennium. This author compares historical descriptions of astronomical sightings with our modern understanding, looking for cases which might be gamma ray burst events.