Recreating a woman from a "vampire" grave: A heartbreaking secret

(NLDO) - A 17th century "vampire" grave with two terrifying "sealing" objects has been excavated near the Polish city of Bydgoszcz.

According to Heritage Daily, researchers from the Institute of Archaeology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (Poland) conducted an autopsy on the "vampire" grave and virtually recreated the portrait of the woman in the grave.

This helped them find out why she was buried with two terrifying "sealed" objects.

Skeleton in the "vampire" grave with a sickle around the neck - Photo: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

Dating results showed that the tomb dates back to the 17th century and the grave goods and burial method suggest that the remains belonged to a woman of high status at the time.

However, she was laid to rest with a large sickle placed across her neck and a padlock attached to her big toe.

It is these details that have led archaeologists to argue that she was buried as a "vampire" and that the items were meant to prevent the dead from rising and attacking people.

The intact skeleton also helped scientists reconstruct the portrait of the woman who lived four centuries ago, and discover the cause of death.

Portrait of an ill-fated woman in Poland - Photo: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

She died quite young and may have had a tumour in her sternum, which caused significant pain and contributed to her chest deformity.

This type of tumor may have contributed to frequent fainting, severe headaches, or a pathological mental illness.

"In the 17th century, when disease and war raged across Europe, the atmosphere of fear in the supernatural world may have branded her a witch or possessed by demons," the archaeologists said.

Among them, vampire folklore has permeated the legends and oral stories of many European ethnic groups.

They are described as the ghosts of evil creatures, suicide victims, witches, corpses possessed by an evil spirit, or victims of an attack by another vampire.

Quite a few people who died of incurable diseases or plagues - which caused them to suffer strange symptoms - were branded as vampires and buried with various sealed objects.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tai-tao-nguoi-phu-nu-tu-mo-ma-ca-rong-bi-mat-dau-long-196241103095437142.htm