Abstract
Since the early twentieth century, various atypical or deviant graves have been excavated across Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland. These discoveries have prompted much speculation, as the individuals were interred with items such as sickles placed over their necks or abdomens, along with other mortuary artifacts not considered normative compared to those found in typical community burials. Such practices suggest that these individuals were regarded as deviant or pariahs within their social contexts. Consequently, many have been quick to label these as “vampire burials,” interpreting them as measures intended to keep the dead from rising. However, this definition is problematic, as the medieval concept of vampires in Eastern Europe differs greatly from modern interpretations of vampirism. The reasons behind these atypical burials are far more nuanced and require an understanding of the religious and folkloric beliefs surrounding vampirism, as well as how medieval Eastern European societies perceived death and the afterlife. This research aims to explore how deeply folklore and religion permeated medieval Polish society, and how these beliefs shaped the living’s relationship with the dead and the beyond.
Publication Date
2026
Subject Major(s)
Anthropology, History
Keywords
vampire, vampires, eastern europe, medieval europe, medieval, europe, archaeology, burials, burial, death, mortuary, funerary, folklore, religion
Disciplines
Archaeological Anthropology | European History | Folklore | Medieval History | Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology
Current Academic Year
Senior
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Bernard K. Means
Rights
© The Author(s)
Recommended Citation
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Included in
Archaeological Anthropology Commons, European History Commons, Folklore Commons, Medieval History Commons, Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons