Catherine Richey
2241 ANTH 0538 SEC1051
10/29/23
(1) What are the similarities and differences in the burial treatment (deathways) of the vampire
cases below?
One similarity in the vampire cases was that almost all of the vampire burials had objects to weigh the
“
vampire
”
body down. For example, at Celakovice, fourteen graves were found with heavy stones
placed on top of them (Barrowclough 2014, 4). Another similarity among the burials was that iron was
used to stab the corpses. Many thought that iron would make it impossible for the vampires to reenter
the corpse. This can be seen in cases like the bodies found at both Perperikon as well as in Sozopol. The
corpses of the four bodies found had iron ploughshare-like objects driven through their chests
(Barrowclough 2014, 2). There were some variations among the burials, however. While it was common
to stab the corpse with iron or metal, the place they were stabbed varied. Most commonly they were
staked somewhere in the chest area. However, Hector Williams uncovered a body in Lesbos with iron
spikes driven through the neck, pelvis, and ankles (Barrowclough 2014, 3). Another difference among
vampire burials were the items used to keep the body “weighed down”. Items such as large stones were
placed on top of the body or in the throat to “deflate” the vampire
. Other bodies were found with their
feet tied together or
their bodies disassembled to make it impossible for them to “get up” again.
(Barrowclough 2014, 6) .
(2) What can you say about the categories of individuals (while they were alive) that seemed to get
this treatment?
The individuals who received this treatment were deemed
likely to “come back from the dead”.
For
example, bodies found at Gliwice were decapitated and determined to be a vampire burial. Those
individuals being in the categories of
“dangerous people”
like a stranger to the community who may
come back and cause mischief (Barrowclough 2014, 6). More likely, these were the bodies of convicted
criminals who had been hung and lost their heads (Barrowclough 2014, 7).
(3) Can you think
of or find online any “atypical or non
-
normative” burial patterns in contemporary
American deathways?
Something that would be considered a non-normative burial pattern could be someone who dies of a
very contagious disease, so no funerary services are held due to possible contagions. This would be non-
normative because no one could be at the funeral, and the burial process would be disrupted which is
atypical in American society. Considering the common funeral service includes things such as display of
the body, and interaction with it.
