Decapitated ‘vampire child’ buried with its separated head placed face-down to ‘prevent a demon exiting the grave’ is discovered by archaeologists
The remains of a ‘vampire child’ have been found on a hill in Poland, with its head severed from its body and its skull lying face down.
The skeletal remains were discovered during archaeological work in a 13th-century bishop’s garden in the southeastern city of Chelm. Researchers also discovered that stones had been laid over the skeleton’s torso.
The burial was marked by two posts facing east and west.
Pawel Wira, from the Conservation of Monuments, said: ‘A burial with a face pressed into the ground, cutting off the head or placing stones on the body are some of the burial methods used to prevent someone believed to be a demonic entity from leaving the grave.’
The grim remains were found next to those of another child who archaeologists say had been given a “normal” burial.
The remains of a ‘child vampire’ with his head severed from his body
Researchers also discovered that stones had been placed over the skeleton’s torso
Pawel Wira of the Conservator of Monuments said: ‘A burial with a face pressed into the ground, cutting off the head or placing stones on the body are some of the burial methods used to prevent a person believed to be a demonic entity from leaving the grave’
The archaeologists say they will now conduct tests on the skeletons to try to determine how old the children were when they died
Wira added: ‘Both burials date from the early Middle Ages – 13th century.
‘The dead were buried without coffins.’
The archaeologists say they will now conduct tests on the skeletons to try to determine how old the children were when they died.
They also believe there are more graves nearby.
Last year, archaeologists in Poland discovered similar cemeteries in several cities.
At one location in the village of PieÅ, the skeletal remains of another āvampire childā were found, lying face down with a triangular padlock at his foot.
Archaeologist Dariusz PoliÅski from the Nicolaus Copernicus University said at the time: ‘The padlock under the foot symbolizes the end of a phase of life and is intended to protect against the return of the deceased, which was probably feared.
‘Such customs have their origins in folk beliefs and are sometimes described as anti-vampire.’
He added that according to the rituals of the time, burial face down prompted the deceased to “bite the ground and not harm the living.”
At another location, near the village of Luzino, was a mass grave with nearly 400 bodies. Many of them had been decapitated, with their skulls between their legs and a coin in their mouths.
This practice, which was common in the region, was believed to lift the ‘vampire curse’.
The gruesome discovery, made in the village of Luzino in northeastern Poland, showed that several of the 450 skeletons had been decapitated and their skulls placed between their legs and a coin placed in their mouths
The practice of beheadings, common in the region in the 19th century, is said to remove the ‘vampire curse’
The excavation site in Luzino, Poland. Archaeologist Maciej Stromski said that in about 30 percent of the discovered graves, researchers had also found stones next to the skeletons’ legs, arms and heads
Archaeologist Maciej Stromski said: ‘We discovered examples of belief in the return of the dead from the grave, which could only be stopped by decapitation.
It was believed that if a relative of the deceased died shortly after the funeral, he or she could be a vampire.
‘Therefore, after the burial, the grave was dug up and the head of the deceased was cut off and placed in the legs.
‘We also found an example of a woman after beheading.
‘The skull of a child was placed on her bosom.’
He added that in about 30 percent of the discovered graves, researchers had also found stones next to the skeletons’ legs, arms and heads.
Myths about the undead have existed in Central Europe since the 11th century.
People feared that some of those buried would climb back up like blood-sucking monsters and terrorize the living.
It is common in this region to find burial sites where a metal rod – or stake – has been driven through the skull of the deceased.
It was believed at the time that this was a way to ensure that the person remained dead.