Archaeology & History
Medieval 'vampire' burial unearthed
By
T.K. RandallNovember 6, 2012 ·
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 |
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