Polish cemetery reveals 17th-century 'vampire' graves with eerie burial rituals

A 17th-century cemetery in the Polish village of Pień has revealed an unusual number of so-called 'vampire' graves. Archaeologists, led by Dariusz Poliński from Nicolaus Copernicus University, have spent over 20 years excavating the site. Their findings include nearly 100 burials, with more than 10 individuals treated differently in death—likely due to fears of the supernatural. The cemetery in Pień stands out for its high concentration of 'anti-vampire' burials. Among the discoveries was the grave of a woman aged between 30 and 50. Her body had been weighed down with heavy boulders, a practice believed to prevent the dead from rising. Forensic tests later showed she suffered from advanced syphilis, a condition that may have fuelled suspicions of vampirism among locals.

Another grave, uncovered last year at a nearby site, belonged to a child named Władysław. Like the woman, his remains were pinned beneath stones. These methods—stones in mouths, sickles across necks, or heavy weights—were common in 17th- and 18th-century Poland. Villagers used them to stop the deceased from returning as *upirs*, undead creatures in Slavic folklore. Such burials appear in at least 20 Polish villages and towns, including Lesnica and Drawsko. The practices often followed outbreaks of disease, like cholera, or periods of war. Fear of plagues and superstition drove communities to mark certain individuals as threats even after death.

The Pień cemetery offers rare insight into early modern beliefs about death and the afterlife. With over a dozen 'vampire' graves identified, it highlights how disease and folklore shaped burial customs. Researchers continue to study the site, uncovering more about the lives—and fears—of those buried there.