Archaeologists working in Venice have unearthed the partial remains of a woman with a brick shoved in her mouth; the oldest known example of someone thought to be a vampire. During the 17th century, when the Black Death was still bringing Europe to its knees after 400 years (about 75 million people died from 1340-1771) , this was a popular exorcism technique used on suspected vampires. National Geographic explains:

Belief in vampires was rampant in the Middle Ages, mostly because the process of decomposition was not well understood.

For instance, as the human stomach decays, it releases a dark “purge fluid.” This bloodlike liquid can flow freely from a corpse’s nose and mouth, so it was apparently sometimes confused with traces of vampire victims’ blood.

The fluid sometimes moistened the burial shroud near the corpse’s mouth enough that it sagged into the jaw, creating tears in the cloth.

During plagues, tombs were frequently reopened so more victims could be dumped in. Alongside the Skaven Plague Monks, many believed vampires to be the purveyors of pestilence, so gravediggers would see the torn cloth near the jaw and cry “vampire!” Putting an object such as a stone or a brick in the dead’s mouth was thought to stop the process. If you’ve been thinking of Sarah Michelle Gellar while reading this, I understand.

- Oh Mars