VAMPIRES QUIZ: YOU CAN WIN A COIN !

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

The remains of 450 skeletons of "vampires" decapitated in the 19th century have been discovered in Poland three weeks ago. The bones, which appear to have been exhumed and reburied, highlight the fears and superstitious beliefs that permeated local Polish culture at that time. They were nicknamed the "vampires". Nearly 450 skeletons found with their decapitated skulls lodged between their legs have been discovered by archaeologists in the village of Lunizo (northeastern Poland). 
 

 

More precisely, in the cemetery of a church built at the beginning of the 18th century, enlarged after 1945. This macabre staging which may seem surprising, but has however already been observed in Eastern Europe: it was part of funeral practices aimed at preventing the dead from come back from beyond the grave. It was during road works in the village of Lunizo that the mass grave and its particular remains were revealed, as well as an enormous mass of bones deposited in three ossuaries. Finally, next to about a third of the bodies found, bricks were placed near the bones (legs, arms, head). They served, through their specific composition or through enchantments, as spiritual barriers, confining undead vampires to their resting places.

 

Now the question for the QUIZ:

How did the archaeologists determine that the skeletons did not date from the Middle Ages but from the beginning of the 19th century? 

Among the members who find the right answer, I will send this coin which has a bust that has always made me think of a vampire. Please PM me if you know the answer !

 

[JeandAcre]

Thanks for a divertingly wild post, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix.  Yipe.  :<}

...Call me naive, and you'll probably be right, but could it be as easy as the date of the church's construction?  --Nope, that can't be right; it goes back to the 18th century.  I'm looking forward to what the real answer is.

I'm also curious, though, about the composition of this example.  Since it dates to Valerian, it could easily be only relatively base silver, instead of billon.  Especially if that's true, the red patina is really interesting.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

The bricks.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Don't know but interesting brain teaser.

[Salomons Cat]

I know it! If you're really superstitious and you want to prevent that a dead person spooks around, then there is one thing that you should do even before decapitating the corpse. 

I won't say what it is... 

[Troyden]

It's because of coins. In accordance with Polish folk beliefs, coins were placed inside of mouths of the dead.

I'm Polish though, so you might think that's a bit of cheating on my part for knowing the cultural context.

[kirispupis]

It's really quite simple. There's no need for Carbon dating or any fancy technique.

Simply ask the vampires when they were born.

[Salomons Cat]

28 minutes ago, kirispupis said:

It's really quite simple. There's no need for Carbon dating or any fancy technique.

Simply ask the vampires when they were born.

Seems like a good idea at first, but I assume that this was not possible due to the following reasons:
1) the vampires were decapitated
2) the archeologists found the bones and probably exposed them to bright daylight
3) According to my knowledge, very few real vampire have ever been identified or captured. It seems that they can hide quite well and it's therefore difficult to talk to them. Only exceptions that I know are "Twilight 1-5", "Interview with the Vampire" and "Vampire Diaries"

Edited July 7 by Salomons Cat

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

THE ANSWER: there were coins in the skeletons’ mouths, dated between 1815-1840. For the first time used during ancient Greece, the obol was a means of payment intended for Charon, an old man responsible for passing souls on the Styx river and ensuring the transition of the deceased to the Underworld. 
Just did the draw and the winner is: @Troyden   Congrats to all the participants.

[expat]

Well done @Troyden enjoy your prize. Also, thanks to @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix for doing this.

[Troyden]

Thank you, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix
Just PMed you.

[Hrefn]

Ah, who is to say the corpses were not older but reinterred in the 1800’s.  If you were re-burying a vampire of any age, it would be cheap insurance to slip him a bit of pocket change to make sure he got on the ferry run by the Stygian Transportation Agency.  You would not want to risk his lingering in the neighborhood.