Medieval History
If you thought vampires were simply the stuff of myth and legend - and perhaps the odd teen horror film - think again.
Archaeologists in Bulgaria have unearthed two skeletons from the Middle Ages pierced through the chest with iron rods to keep them from turning into the undead.
They are the latest in a succession of finds across western and central Europe which shed new light on just how seriously people took the threat of vampires and how those beliefs transformed into the modern myth.
The two skeletons, believed to be around 800 years old, were discovered during an archaeological dig near a monastery in the Bulgarian Black Sea town of Sozopol.
Bulgaria's national history museum chief Bozhidar Dimitrov said: 'These two skeletons stabbed with rods illustrate a practice which was common in some Bulgarian villages up until the first decade of the 20th century.'
Click here to read this article from The Daily Mail
On Sunday, local media reported that two Middle Age "vampires" had been discovered by archaeologists in the Black Sea town of Sozopol. Big iron sticks with which the two men's bodies had been stabbed were found in their graves.
"I do not know why an ordinary discovery like that became so popular. Perhaps because of the mysteriousness of the word "vampire," Dimitrov has commented, as cited by Sega.
Click here to read this article from the Sofia News Agency
See also 'Vampire' Skeleton found in Venice
See also Medieval Irish had their own ways to stop the undead
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Medieval History
The vampire skeletons of Bulgaria: Human remains from Middle Ages found with iron rods staked through their chests
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| The discovery was made near the Saint Nicholas Wonderworker monastery in Sozopol. Photo by dariknews.bg |
If you thought vampires were simply the stuff of myth and legend - and perhaps the odd teen horror film - think again.
Archaeologists in Bulgaria have unearthed two skeletons from the Middle Ages pierced through the chest with iron rods to keep them from turning into the undead.
They are the latest in a succession of finds across western and central Europe which shed new light on just how seriously people took the threat of vampires and how those beliefs transformed into the modern myth.
The two skeletons, believed to be around 800 years old, were discovered during an archaeological dig near a monastery in the Bulgarian Black Sea town of Sozopol.
Bulgaria's national history museum chief Bozhidar Dimitrov said: 'These two skeletons stabbed with rods illustrate a practice which was common in some Bulgarian villages up until the first decade of the 20th century.'
Click here to read this article from The Daily Mail
Over 100 'Vampire' Graves Discovered in Bulgaria - Official
Over 100 buried people whose corpses were stabbed to prevent them from becoming vampires have been discovered across Bulgaria over the years, according to Bozhidar Dimitrov, head of the Bulgarian National History Museum.On Sunday, local media reported that two Middle Age "vampires" had been discovered by archaeologists in the Black Sea town of Sozopol. Big iron sticks with which the two men's bodies had been stabbed were found in their graves.
"I do not know why an ordinary discovery like that became so popular. Perhaps because of the mysteriousness of the word "vampire," Dimitrov has commented, as cited by Sega.
Click here to read this article from the Sofia News Agency
See also 'Vampire' Skeleton found in Venice
See also Medieval Irish had their own ways to stop the undead
- 'vampires' In Poland, 'medieval Mystery' Site In England - What Archaeologists Are Finding
Two recent archaeological stories are getting some media attention. First, in southern Poland a graveyard was discovered that contained four skeletons that had their heads buried between their legs. Radio Poland explains that "according to folk beliefs,...
- Medieval Irish Had Their Own Ways To Stop The Undead
Two skeletons discovered with large stones wedged into their mouths, were buried in this way around 1300 years ago to stop them rising from their graves to haunt the living, according to new documentary featuring the work of archaeologists from the Institue...
- Government Steps In For The Restoration Of Trapezitsa Fortress In Veliko Turnovo
The Bulgarian Government will allocate one million leva for the renovation of the Trapezitsa Fortress in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria's famous medieval capital, local media reported on March 10 2011. Veliko Turnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria,...
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In a region already rich with archaeological artefacts, the excavation of a small alabaster box containing a few pieces of bone amid the ruins of a medieval monastery might easily have passed unnoticed. But when Bulgarian archaeologists declared they...
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