The skeletal remains of a female 'vampire' were found in a 17th-century Polish graveyard along with a sickle across her neck in order to stop her from rising from the dead.

HIGHLIGHTS
The archeological dig would lead to the discovery of the remains
Citizens reported fears of vampires and treated their dead with anti-vampire rituals
Though different common anti-vampire burial ways would include a metal rod

Professor Dariusz Poliński from Nicholas Copernicus University had headed the archeological dig that would lead to the discovery of the remains, that were found carrying a silk cap and with a protruding front tooth.

As per Dariusz Poliński, 'The sickle wasn't set flat however it was placed on the neck in such a manner that if the deceased had tried to get up… the head would have cut off or burned.'

In the 11th century, the citizens of Eastern Europe had reported fears of vampires and started treating their dead with anti-vampire rituals, as per a magazine. Therefore, it believed that 'some people that died would claw their way out of the grave as blood-sucking monsters would terrorized the living.'

Well, by the 17th century, Science Alert had reported these burial practices 'became common across Poland in response to a reported happening of vampires.'

According to Poliński, “Other ways in which they would protect against the return of the dead would include cutting off the heads or legs by placing the deceased face down to bite into the ground along with burning them and smashing it off with a stone.”

Though different common anti-vampire burial ways would include a metal rod that hammered via the skeleton, the remains in Poland were found with the sickle across the neck and padlocked toe to restrain her.

The padlocked big toe connected to the skeleton's left foot was possibly symbolized 'the closing of a stage and also the impossibility of returning.'

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