Archaeologists have discovered an ancient Bulgarian burial practice which suggests dealing with monstrosity.
Widespread superstition led to iron rods being hammered through the chest bones and hearts of those who did evil during their lifetimes for fear they would return after death to feast on the blood of the living...
According to Bozhidar Dimitrov, head of the National History Museum in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, two skeletons from the Middle Ages were found in such a state last weekend near the Black Sea town of Sozopol.
Naturally, this wasn't just an ancient practice:
He said Tuesday that corpses were regularly treated in such a way before being buried in some parts of Bulgaria, even until the beginning of the last century.
I wonder what myths attached themselves to these iron rods. Did Bulgarians associate them with the Earth, or with demonic powers?
(link thanks to Steven Kaye; photo by zeeweez)
Comments