archaeological evidence that medieval peasants feared zombies

Medieval peasants were very worried about zombies, so the burned and chopped up the departed .

It turns out medieval peasants were just as worried about zombies as we are, and they never even saw Season 7 of the Walking Dead.

A newly published study reveals that villagers in medieval Yorkshire, England, burned and chopped up the skeletons of their dearly departed. The archaeologists who penned the study say all evidence points toward a fear of the living dead.

Knife marks, decapitation and dismemberment lead to the multidisciplinary study. The authors of the study looked over 137 bone fragments from excavation sites in England dating back over 700 years to draw their conclusions.

www.dallasnews.com...
A multidisciplinary study of a burnt and mutilated assemblage of human remains from a deserted Mediaeval village in England." What a title.
(T)he upshot is that some villagers in the 11th to 13th centuries who lived near modern-day Wharram Percy in northern Yorkshire were apparently scared of zombies. So they made sure the dead would stay dead with some extra handiwork, deliberately mutilating the bodies after death.

"The patterning in knife-marks appears more consistent with decapitation and dismemberment, as documented as means of dealing with cases of reanimated corpses," concluded the study, conducted by Historic England and the University of Southampton. The authors analyzed 137 bone fragments from excavation sites in England dating back over 700 years to draw their conclusions.

a reply to: seasonal

It is Vampires not Zombies!

The British Men Of Letters are slacking!

www.mirror.co.uk...

But a new study has suggested that Britain could be home to more blood-sucking nightfeeders than Dracula’s homeland.

In Britain, however, there have been 206 reported cases of vampire encounters over the same period, equating to two sightings a year.

The findings were compiled by paranormal investigator Rev Lionel Fanthorpe, who uncovered 11,000 reports of unexplained phenomena here since 1914.

Lionel said: “Our research has suggested that certain areas of Britain may be referred to as horror hotspots not solely because of their vampire reports but also because of the number of reports of general paranormal phenomena emanating from them.”

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: seasonal

It is Vampires not Zombies!

The British Men Of Letters are slacking!

www.mirror.co.uk...

But a new study has suggested that Britain could be home to more blood-sucking nightfeeders than Dracula’s homeland.

In Britain, however, there have been 206 reported cases of vampire encounters over the same period, equating to two sightings a year.

The findings were compiled by paranormal investigator Rev Lionel Fanthorpe, who uncovered 11,000 reports of unexplained phenomena here since 1914.

Lionel said: “Our research has suggested that certain areas of Britain may be referred to as horror hotspots not solely because of their vampire reports but also because of the number of reports of general paranormal phenomena emanating from them.”

Let's not forget that vampired where considered "the undead" But yea i hear you.

a reply to: infolurker

Yes the undead, be it zombies or vampires. But they should be as exact as they can.

Well, as far fetched as it seems, with disembodied intelligence being "real" and tales of animated dead being ubiquitous with humans forever, is it so very unbelievable that an occasional dimensional critter , or "spirit," would slip on a discarded corpse to operate in the 3D every once in a while?

I never would've believed in animated corpses, but living in some haunted houses showed me spirits are a reality (of some sort) and then... why not?

Maybe I'll consider the Easter Bunny's reality, next.

Zombies are real, people get attacked by them in Florida every other year. But then the news just goes on to say "oh he was on drugs" , and then the drug tests come back negative. So they say "we have to send the samples off to a lab for further analysis, it should be a couple of weeks." But then, nothing but silence. No later release of what results showed, and no further testimony or word from the living person they have in custody.

Some of the local native californians burned their dead, because sometimes dead indians get up and walk again, axcording to one legend.

originally posted by: punkinworks10
Some of the local native californians burned their dead, because sometimes dead indians get up and walk again, axcording to one legend.

Precisely why Zombies were never a thing in places like Japan where the dead was cremated, so instead you have ghost or unclean spirits, Zombies are mostly an African/ African derived thing, where cremation or fire worship rarely took place, look at it this way, Mummy movies are in essence walking dead movies who are Zombies.

originally posted by: worldstarcountry
Zombies are real, people get attacked by them in Florida every other year. But then the news just goes on to say "oh he was on drugs" , and then the drug tests come back negative. So they say "we have to send the samples off to a lab for further analysis, it should be a couple of weeks." But then, nothing but silence. No later release of what results showed, and no further testimony or word from the living person they have in custody.

I thought Dr. Aquino covered this in his AMA here on ATS?

He was very "matter of fact" about the whole thing, could of been tounge in cheek I guess.

Seems like he backed it up with some documents.

originally posted by: Spider879
Zombies are mostly an African/ African derived thing

But the undead are universal.

I've got a dandy novel outline on it. If I could write, it would be killer.

What if strigoi were one of those universal truths? Something you 'discover' if you're a 'magic' user? Living forever by sucking the life from the young crosses so many cultures. What if there's some truth to it?

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: Spider879
Zombies are mostly an African/ African derived thing

But the undead are universal.

What if there's some truth to it?

I believe there is. Maybe not immortality, or weather control. Maybe aiding in recovery from injury or illness.

a reply to: seasonal

The first introduction of zombies was in a book called The Magic Island by W.B. Seabrook in 1929. Meaning no way medieval peasants were worried about zombies. What they did fear is vampires and took precautions to make sure they didnt return from the grave.

Here is some information on some archaeological sites showing their fear of vampires.

listverse.com...

originally posted by: blueyedevilwoman

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: Spider879
Zombies are mostly an African/ African derived thing

But the undead are universal.

What if there's some truth to it?

I believe there is. Maybe not immortality, or weather control. Maybe aiding in recovery from injury or illness.

If you could extend your life by inefficiently drawing the life from others, would you be able to resist the temptation?

Could you let your loved ones die if you could sacrifice a dozen "bums" to give your best friend, lover, parent, sibling another decade of life?

Would it be more tempting to sacrifice an obvious charlatan like the local clergy?

a reply to: seasonal

Autopsies are the modern equivalent, it's a well kept medical secret. The drop in autopsies is the true cause of the zombie outbreak.

www.pbs.org...

The rate of autopsies -- the gold standard of death investigations -- has plummeted over the decades. Our investigation found that an increasing number of the 2.5 million Americans who die each year go to the grave without being examined at all.

This is as close as they come to admitting it. When they say Unknown they mean Zombies.

Easing the Stress of the Unknown: Autopsies can also be an important way for families and loved ones to seek reassurance or peace of mind after a death.

They'll give me an autopsy over my dead body.

Long Live The Undead

seasonal

Zombies are real!



At least they can be..I remembered a thread on this and went and found the video.

After being put into a trance-like state that approximates a coma, victims are regularly fed the hallucinogenic drug scopolamine, derived from the Datura stramonium plant, otherwise known as jimsonweed, the zombie cucumber or the Devil’s weed.

Zombie Research Society

Also known as Thorn apple, it was used in the Medieval ages in England by "witches" to give the sensation of flying:

The beautiful but sinister thorn apple (Datura metel) is a powerfully hallucinogenic plant employed in medieval magic as well as medicine. Thorn apple reached Northern Europe from India in the later Middle Ages, although it is mentioned in medieval Arabic texts at an earlier date. (Some authorities regard D. metel as a native of China; see below for the debate about its origin.) Along with other plants in the nightshade family, datura was an active ingredient in the famous “flying ointment” used by European witches, a preparation that produced the illusion and sensation of transport through the air. (At least some medieval and Renaissance authorities correctly attributed these sensations to the psychotropic properties of the plants.) For more on the psychotropic properties of the tropane alkaloids found in datura and other members of the Solanaceae, see “The Nightshades,” November 7, 2008.

Thorn Apple

So, there very well could've been zombies or undead back in those times.

And an educational Zombie apocalypse survival video.. 25 things ya need to survive:



Thanks,
blend57

a reply to: blend57

see also: borrachero tree

Also, our favorite interrogation tool was scopolamine and versed. Just sayin'

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: blueyedevilwoman

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: Spider879
Zombies are mostly an African/ African derived thing

But the undead are universal.

What if there's some truth to it?

I believe there is. Maybe not immortality, or weather control. Maybe aiding in recovery from injury or illness.

If you could extend your life by inefficiently drawing the life from others, would you be able to resist the temptation?

No I would not.

I do this already, I eat animal flesh.

I have also participated in activities akin to what you are talking about. No blood drinking involved. Same concept.

Could you let your loved ones die if you could sacrifice a dozen "bums" to give your best friend, lover, parent, sibling another decade of life?

No I could not.

It would depend on the definition of "sacrifice".
More than one way to skin a cat. IMO.

Would it be more tempting to sacrifice an obvious charlatan like the local clergy?

Yes it would.

Again though, depending on your definition of sacrifice.

Maybe they just understood that ghosts of the past carried in the mind as memory can haunt the present creating a future retribution.

Lay those battles not one's own; but made one's own down... and then where is such a thing going to manifest in one's heart, and rule one's mind?

The video below shows this in visual and lyrics... the mirror of child acting out the mirror; of what is seen in adults carrying those things held as their own views... when they are not; just accepted, as theirs... when it isn't any kind of gift to carry; just a burden. Even though; one's body may grow? Those carrying such; remain the same mirror or reflection, of what is there. Over time, trying to gain some wisdom or meaning in all of that; purposelessness made into a purpose... because it was never theirs to begin with.



That thing called future can be anything chosen instead of one simply given. That is the gift or the present to be found in the moment that has no past to create an uncertain future for all.


Lyrics:

Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken?

But you see, it's not me, it's not my family
In your head, in your head they are fighting
With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head, in your head, they are crying

In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie
Hey, hey, hey, what's in your head, in your head?
Zombie, zombie, zombie
Hey, hey, hey, hey
oh, oh, dou, dou, dou, dou
dou, dou, dou, dou
dou, dou, dou, dou
dou, dou, dou, dou

Another mother's breakin'
Heart is taking over
When the violence causes silence
We must be mistaken

It's the same old theme since nineteen-sixteen
In your head, in your head they're still fighting
With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head, in your head, they are dying

In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie
Hey, hey, hey, what's in your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie?
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Hey, oh, ya, ya ya

a reply to: blueyedevilwoman
Thats twenty pages, do you remember where he specifically discussed zombies?

originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: blueyedevilwoman
Thats twenty pages, do you remember where he specifically discussed zombies?

Sorry, no.
I know he was trying to talk about zombies throughout the AMA.

Most members kept focusing on UFOs, Stargate, and his Temple of Set. I thought he was kidding around. Seems like it was in the first few pages.

Seems like he produced an official checklist of some sort for zombie handling and disposal.
Safety checklist etc.