JOIN USBodies of two men, believed to be vampires by their medieval contemporaries, have been found in an archaeological dig in Bulgaria.
According to Bozhidar Dimitrov, a Bulgarian history professor, some 70 bodies were discovered in a burial ground in Sozopol, an ancient town in Bulgaria, between 13th -14th century. But only two of them had iron stakes or, rods through the heart, Focus-news.net quoted him as saying.
Dimitrov, however, says that the latest find is not overly unusual as over 100 "vampires" have been found in Bulgarian medieval digs.
Most alleged bloodsuckers were members of the clergy or secular officials known to have oppressed and abused the ordinary townsfolk, who were afraid that the oppressors would rise from the grave and continue harassing the people, Dimitrov said.
To prevent this, local youth often crept into the burial grounds to put stakes through late priests and officials' hearts, he added.
The Sozopol "vampires" were found behind the church altar, a zone which Dimitrov described as a "VIP cemetery".