The remains of what is believed to be a 17th century ‘vampire child’ have been unearthed in Poland.
Researchers discovered the skeleton of an individual between five and seven years old lying face down and ‘padlocked to the Earth’ by their ankles, precautions thought to have been put in place by superstitious families to ensure their relatives could not return from the dead.
The remains were found in an unmarked, mass cemetery in Pień, central Poland.
‘The padlock under the foot symbolises the closing of a stage of life and is meant to protect against the return of the deceased, which was probably feared,’ said Nicholas Copernicus University Professor Dariusz Poliński, who led the dig. ‘Such practices originated in folk beliefs and are sometimes described as anti-vampiric.’
He added the practice of burying bodies face down was to ensure the deceased would ‘bite into the ground and not harm the living’.
Speaking to Insider, Professor Poliński said he believes the graveyard is a makeshift cemetery for ‘the excluded’, those who were not able to be buried in Christian cemeteries – including children who had not been baptised.
Many in the 17th Century also feared those who had drowned.
While it is not known why this particular child was feared, Professor Poliński said they may have suffered from a disease that affected their appearance, or exhibited strange behaviour while alive.
‘[They] might have also been a person who died violently and suddenly in strange circumstances,’ he added. ‘Sudden death was often considered something people should be afraid of.’
The team also found a collection of loose bones near the gravesite, and the remains of a woman who was about six months pregnant.
Last year archaeologists found a ‘vampire woman’ on the same site, buried with a sickle placed across her throat.
‘The sickle 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,’ said Professor Poliński at the time.
She also had a silk cap on her head – indicating high social status – and a protruding tooth.
Evidence of ‘vampire burials’ have been found across Europe from as early as the 14th Century. They were generally associated with mass deaths, most likely pandemics or large-scale poisonings, which couldn’t have been explained at the time.
MORE : Mystery over who was in a 2,000-year-old grave finally solved
MORE : Disturbing evidence uncovers terrifying truth about human ancestors
Get your need-to-know
latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
