Why Czech archaeology never ceases to amaze me …

Archaeologists find grave of suspected vampire

By ČTK / Published 14 July 2008

Pardubice, East Bohemia, July 11 (CTK) – Archaeologists have uncovered a 4000-year-old grave in Mikulovice, east Bohemia, with remains of what might have been considered a vampire at the time, Nova TV has reported.The experts made the terrifying find within their research of a burial site from the Early Bronze Age.

One of the graves was situated somewhat aside. The skeleton in it bears traces of unusual treatment.

When buried, the dead man was weighed down with two big stones, one on his chest and the other on his head.

“Remains treated in this way are now considered as vampiric. The dead man’s contemporaries were afraid that he might leave his grave and return to the world,” Radko Sedlacek from the East Bohemia Museum said.

This is for the first time Czech archaeologists have uncovered a “vampire’s” grave, Nova said.

In ancient times, people believed vampires are the dead who occasionally return among the living to harm their health or property.

http://www.praguemonitor.com/en/377/czech_national_news/25427/