While wooden stakes, sunlight that burns and bats come to mind when you think of vampires, you probably wouldn't think of a padlock and scythe.
But the findings of an alleged "vampire" in Poland shows there was some paranoia around the paranormal. The remains of a 17th-century woman with a scythe across her neck and a padlock clamped on her toe indicate she may have been accused of being a witch or a vampire. She was buried with these precautions to ensure that she, the ghost or spirit of this woman, would not come back from the grave.
Before scientific and medical advancements, it was common for people to accuse those of witchcraft or vampirism based on unknown illnesses — or for simply being different. While science and medicine has improved, the legends around these vampire stereotypes still remain. Here is how they originated.
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