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Archaeology & History

Medieval 'vampire' burial unearthed

By T.K. Randall
November 6, 2012 · Comment icon 16 comments

Image Credit: sxc.hu
The skeleton was discovered with a number of metal spikes through its shoulders, heart and ankles.
Burials of this kind are rare, this latest find dates back to around 500-700 AD and was located in the town of Southwell, Notts. Typically such burials were carried out on criminals or social outcasts who were feared when they were alive, the use of metal spikes was intended to prevent the deceased from rising from the grave to plague the living.

"Throughout the Anglo-Saxon period the punishment of being buried in water-logged ground, face down, decapitated, staked or otherwise was reserved for thieves, murderers or traitors or later for those deviants who did not conform to societies rules," said archaeologist Matthew Beresford. "Which of these the Southwell deviant was we will never know."
The discovery of a skeleton found with metal spikes through its shoulders, heart and ankles, dating from 550-700AD and buried in the ancient minster town of Southwell, Notts, is detailed in a new report.


Source: Telegraph | Comments (16)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #7 Posted by Eldorado 12 years ago
Its good that you guys are not talking about your wives that way. I wish I had a wife to complain about, L. I traded mine in years ago for a trumpet. Sadly, blowing a trumpet on your own ain't great and finding a replacement wife hasn't been as easy as you might think for a penniless alcoholic such as myself.
Comment icon #8 Posted by meankitty 12 years ago
They found a couple of them in Bugaria not too long ago http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/pictures/120724-vampire-skeleton-toothless-bulgaria-science/
Comment icon #9 Posted by the L 12 years ago
Comment icon #10 Posted by C235 12 years ago
Must have been uncomfortable. I want a pillow & a tablet when I died
Comment icon #11 Posted by TheMacGuffin 12 years ago
In the Middle Ages, a person who committed suicide would also be buried under a crossroads with stakes through their body, to prevent them from rising from the dead.
Comment icon #12 Posted by PersonFromPorlock 12 years ago
Well, it must work: they stayed buried.
Comment icon #13 Posted by TheMacGuffin 12 years ago
Who said that the Middle Ages were no fun?
Comment icon #14 Posted by araxia 12 years ago
In the Middle Ages, a person who committed suicide would also be buried under a crossroads with stakes through their body, to prevent them from rising from the dead. why would suicide cases be considered EVIL?
Comment icon #15 Posted by araxia 12 years ago
OH FFS, someone is really desperate, you can hear the desperation in Charlie's voice... he wants to be SPECIAL so like everyone who feels the need to go back to nature calling themselves related to native americans, this guy probably derives his need to see himself as related to vlad "dracula" due to his NEED FOR BLOOD and Greed... no wonder less people, more control.... EAT THEM, impale them ROFL...........
Comment icon #16 Posted by araxia 12 years ago
Who said that the Middle Ages were no fun? it seems that only those in POWER had all the fun... torture games were executed by authority, and reserved for the poor....


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