Remains of ‘vampire’ found with sickle on neck and padlocked toe in Poland
Communities across the world have varied beliefs, some of which may sound bizarre to many of us. In a recent discovery in Poland, archaeologists uncovered a 17th-century grave of an alleged vampire with measures to ensure that she never rises from her grave. Archaeologists believe that the woman was considered a vampire due to her protruding front tooth.
The remains of the woman, unearthed from a graveyard in Pien, were found with a sickle positioned above her neck. The custom is practised by people who believe in the resurrection of the dead.
Additionally, the woman was also found with a padlock wrapped around her toe. The latter was also used as a measure to prevent the dead from rising. The padlock depicted “the impossibility of returning”. While the researchers did not reveal the age of the woman, they said that the silk cap on the skull indicated her high social status. They also noted that other graves in the area were the resting grounds of people belonging to the wealthier sections of society.
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The archaeological team consisted of Professor Dariusz Poliński and a team of researchers from Nicolaus Copernicus University.
Eastern European residents believed in vampires- people who feed on human flesh and blood. They started fearing vampires in the 11th century. However, it was in the 17th and 18th centuries that people began persecuting both men and women on the slightest suspicion of them being a vampire. Meanwhile, the exact method that was used to categorize a person as a vampire is still debatable.
