Katharina Buczek
Meanwhile, Germany took a different approach. There, any supposed vampires were decapitated, and their bodies were buried a few feet away from their heads.
In Poland, though, yet another tradition was practiced. Sometimes the Polish would sever heads or force bricks into the mouths of presumed vampires and drill holes in their legs. Archaeologists found several skeletons that had undergone this tradition back in 2008.
But, the most recent female skeleton the researchers unearthed is the first of its kind to be discovered there. There had been reports of locals placing sickles or scythes near grave sites in order to prevent demons from entering deceased bodies. However, this female skeleton had a sickle placed across her neck– which had never been seen before.
“It was not laid flat but placed on the neck in such a way that if the deceased had tried to get up, most likely the head would have been cut off or injured,” explained Dariusz Polinski, who led the archaeological team.
And as for the padlock found on the skeleton’s big toe, that was found to symbolize “the closing of a stage and the impossibility of returning.”
Another interesting discovery to note is that the skeleton was also found to be wearing a silk cap on its head– which likely meant she was of high social status since silk was very expensive during the seventeenth century.
Moreover, the remains were buried with great care– another uncharacteristic practice during the significant anti-vampire movement of the time. Now, the researchers have transported the remains and plan to conduct a more detailed examination of the skeleton.
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe.
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Strange History Of The Mysterious Ouija Board
