Archeologists from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland have unearthed an unusual, if not unique, grave of a "vampire" – at least so thought to be by relatives or those who buried her near the city of Pień, Poland in the 17th century.
Was it the pale skin, nasty temperament, midnight shenanigans or distaste for garlic and silverware? Researchers do not know what led locals to believe that the woman was a vampire, but they sure did try to make sure she never rose from the grave again. The deceased was pinned in her tomb by a sickle, with the sharp edge touching her neck so that if she had second thoughts about dying, she would cut her head off trying to escape the coffin.
According to Professor Dariusz Poliński, who is taking part in the excavations at the Pień graveyard, the placement of the sickle is typical for the vampire-related superstitions of that period.
"The sickle was not laid flat but placed on the neck in such a way that if the deceased had tried to get up […] the head would have been cut off or injured," Poliński said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
The professor also pointed to another tell-tale sign of a "vampire" burial in Poland – a padlock around her toe. It was supposed to signify locking her in a dead state.
Vampire-related superstitions date back to the 11th century in the lands of modern-day Poland, according to some estimates. There was no clear methodology to declare a person a "vampire", or at least archeologists have failed to find one so far. Sometimes people suspected of being a supernatural blood-sucker were violently killed and their remains mutilated to prevent resurrection.
"Other ways to protect against the return of the dead include cutting off the head or legs, placing the deceased face down to bite into the ground, burning them, and smashing them with a stone," Poliński explained, describing some of the ways people used to ensure the dead stay dead.
It is unclear, however, if the woman whose body was unearthed was killed or simply buried this way out of abundance of caution by locals or relatives.
This is not the only grave that archeologists found to contain a sickle placed in such a way. Seven years ago, five men were discovered buried near the town of Drawsko, Poland, with sickles pinned to their necks. Nonetheless, it continues to be a rather rare sight for archeologists.