The skeletal remains of two people, apparently believed to be vampires and buried in the Middle Ages, were unearthed in Bulgaria, and it was discovered that iron spikes impaled them through the chest, pinning them to the casket. It turns out, that's not so unusual.
The so-far unidentified remains were dug up from some ancient graves found near the Black Sea town of Sozopol, a legendary hotspot of vampirism for centuries. Archaeologists explain that such interments continued until well into the early 20th century.
The practice of impaling stakes in the hearts of people who indulged in evil deeds during their lifetime was commonplace in an area of the world more than literally spooked by a fear of the dead coming back to life and continuing their reign of terror.
So far, dozens of such skeletal remains have been found dating back hundreds of years.
Such were the powerful myths of vampires and, to the people of Bulgaria, it was no urban legend.
From such practices the details of vampirism grew until the present incarnations in books and movies like Twilight and TV shows like True Blood.
Of course, even over the last few decades, the rules have changed.
Would-be Draculas can now withstand sunlight, have no mortal fear of crosses, and can exist on animal blood, even if it leaves them a little famished.
But this one part of the legend, which turns out to be true, is a little mixed up. Doesn't the antidote call for a wooden stake through the heart, rather than an iron spike?
Read more from the original source:
Real Vampires Dug Up in Bulgaria?
- 'Doctor Who' - 'Vampires of Venice' Recap [Last Updated On: May 22nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 22nd, 2010]
- Oh No They Didn't! - 10 Hottie Vampires That Paved the Way for ... [Last Updated On: June 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 29th, 2010]
- The 405 - Vampires Suck [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2010]
- melophobe | Meet The Five One's “Monsters Mutants Vampires” [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2011]
- BLABBERMOUTH.NET - VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!: 'Undead Heart' Released [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2011]
- 'Priest' presents a dull new take on vampires | The Michigan Daily [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2011]
- Kristen Stewart: "Vampires Are Very Sexy" | Twilight | News | MTV UK [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- Priest Vampires Summer Movie Body Count | PopWatch | EW.com [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- Colin Farrell Talks Vampires and 'Fright Night' - FEARnet [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Falcata Times: FANTASY REVIEW: Clockwork Vampires 3: Vampire ... [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Zombies DON'T Run: Ninjas vs. Vampires (2010) [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Vampires and Malls « Kim Harrison's Drama [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- True Blood Season 4 – Witches vs. Vampires Tease [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Tacolord.Com - Vampires. [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE! Release Debut Album 'Kiss The Sun Goodbye ... [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Hong Kong Hustle » Surf Vampires Must Die! this Thursday! - Hong ... [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Top 12 On-screen Vampires [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Silver Bullets Don't Kill Vampires Lyrics -Vampires Everywhere! [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Vampires Everywhere! -Carnage At The Castle Lyrics [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Call Out The Dead Lyrics -Vampires Everywhere! [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Review: Vampires Everywhere! – Kiss the Sun Goodbye - Revolver ... [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- New True Blood Promo: "Witches Vs Vampires" [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Ricalopia: Vampires Next Door, Episode 5 [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- New 'True Blood' Teaser Trailer “Witches Vs Vampires” (VIDEO ... [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Social Vampires | Flickr - Photo Sharing! [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- The Five One – “Monsters Mutants Vampires” | Pigeons & Planes [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- I've met worse vampires - Forever Young Adult [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- New Video | “Monsters Mutants Vampires” – The Five One | DMVIXEN.COM [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- Seductive Vampire [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- More Vampires Again | Reviews | AltWeeklies.com [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- Bitten by Paranormal Romance: Review of SOPHIA, VAMPIRES IN ... [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- Vampires Everywhere-Kiss The Sun Goodbye-2011-KzT Download and ... [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- Vampires on the Prairie « The Hooded Utilitarian [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- How to Leave Behind Emotional Vampires (video) | Care2 Healthy ... [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- sale Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 4) | discount york ... [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- Libby's Pink Vanity: The Ugly Series: Part 3, What Vampires Wear [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- The Five One – Monsters Mutants Vampires [Video] [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- The Man-Cave: Death Hunter: Werewolves vs. Vampires (2011) [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- John Carpenter's Vampires (James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee ... [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- Why I Love Vampires [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Moonlight A Vampires Dream Chords Stevie Nicks | 1stChords.com [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Vampires Suck 2010 WorkPrint XViD AC3-T0XiC - hriccio's blog [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Fall TV season: Are witches the new vampires? - KansasCity.com [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Eddie Izzard- B-movies and Vampires [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Vampires Suck 2010 R5 XViD READNFO-LKRG - lilla9547's blog [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- The Blue Spire: Those Damned Vampires.... [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Vampires Suck 2010.WorkPrint XViD AC3-T0XiC - ardelle2196's blog [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- A new discovery about mosquitoes reveals why vampires will never exist [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Vampires (1998) Movie Review [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- “Vampires Make Me Afraid!” by Romelle, age 5 « Very Scary [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Real Vampires - Part 1 [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Radiorama - Vampires [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Tina Folsom: Why I love Vampires [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Flashpoint's Alaska Full Of Zombies And Vampires Bleeding Cool ... [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Fall TV season: Are witches the new vampires? | Show Tracker | Los ... [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Holman's Movie Review.com: Ninjas vs. Vampires [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2011]
- Ricalopia: Vampires Next Door, Finished! [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2011]
- Old School Vampires - The Armstrong and Miller Show - BBC One [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2011]
- Mummies, Cannibals and Vampires … of Europe – Rasta Livewire [Last Updated On: May 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 22nd, 2011]
- Series Spotlight: Morganville Vampires | Book Blather [Last Updated On: May 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 22nd, 2011]
- Priest clashes with vampires | Free Malaysia Today [Last Updated On: May 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 22nd, 2011]
- Vampires Suck | Spill.com Movie Reviews | Ramblin Man Films [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Cirque du Freak: The Vampires Assistant (2009) « watch movies ... [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Modern20 Vampires | Gaming Ronin [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Ms. Yingling Reads: Nonfiction Monday (plus some vampires!) [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Managing Healthcare Costs: Surgical Vampires – a brief successful ... [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Review: Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill (Chicagoland Vampires #4 ... [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- All You Like - Death Hunter Werewolves VS Vampires (2011) DVDRip ... [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Death Hunter: Werewolves vs. Vampires (2010) DVDRip XviD - NYDIC ... [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- A Life Bound By Books: Review: Laney (Brookehaven Vampires #1) By ... [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Vampire Documentary [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Real Vampires DON'T Sparkle! [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Books are forever. Like vampires. @ RADAR Productions [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Why Everyone Wants to Have Sex with Vampires | The High Definite [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Tyra Investigates The Vampire Culture. Part 1 [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- The Wombats - Tokyo (Vampires [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- New ‘True Blood’ promo makes Eric the face of vampires: Excellent call! [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Fancy some hot German lesbian vampires? Check out the ‘We Are the Night’ trailer! [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2011]
- "Priest": Vampires cross paths in offbeat Western [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2011]
- German Vampires at SIFF! [Last Updated On: May 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 26th, 2011]