Poland Archaeologists have unearthed a mass grave containing several skeletons with skulls placed between their legs and coins in their mouths to prevent the dead from resurrecting.
Skeletons in a grave in the village of Luzino. Photo: Maciej Stromski
The remains of 450 people believed to be vampires were unearthed by road workers near a 19th-century cemetery in the village of Luzino in northeastern Poland, Ancient Origins reported on June 11. The reason researchers believe the dead were considered vampires is because each body had been decapitated and had a coin stuffed in its mouth. This was a custom to prevent the dead from rising from their graves and terrorizing the living.
Polish archaeologist Maciej Stromski says researchers have found many similar examples. In 19th-century rural Poland, the execution of vampires was common. Moreover, the act of placing coins in the mouth of a vampire was believed to neutralize the curse, preventing them from resurrecting and spreading disease.
According to Stromski, about 30 percent of the graves have not been excavated. Researchers have also found bricks placed next to the legs, arms, and heads of the skeletons. Hundreds of years ago, various methods were used across Europe to ward off vampires, such as placing garlic, crosses, or holy water near the body of the deceased. In some parts of Poland, people believed that bricks had the power to restrain vampires, creating a barrier that kept them in their resting place and prevented them from returning to wreak havoc in the world of the living.
Vampires are often associated with people suffering from diseases such as tuberculosis, due to some of the symptoms of the disease, such as pale skin, coughing up blood, and a frail appearance. Last September, the remains of a female vampire, pinned to the ground with a sickle through her throat and a hook on her toe, were also found in Poland.
An Khang (According to Ancient Origins )
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