Archeologists discovered a 17th-century Polish ‘vampire’ with a sickle across its neck meant to prevent a return from the dead, as well as a padlock on its big toe. The sickle was situated so that the deceased would likely be decapitated or injured if it tried to rise. Scientists are investigating the remains, believed to be those of a young woman from a higher social class.
Remains found in Venice buried among victims of the plague came had a stone in its mouth. Historians believe that some vampire legends arose during times when many people died of unexplained reasons, such as a pandemic or poisoning. Seeking an explanation, the superstitious might believe that the first infected was a vampire, who later targeted its family, neighbors, and the larger village. These Nachzehrers chewed through their shrouds to terrorize the living. The lore eventually evolved into the bloodsuckers we know and love today.
Who was that girl? Was she a vampire? Did removing the sickle stir up trouble? What happened in the 17th century to cause her family to believe she might return from the dead? What happens next?
