The archaeological hoe brought to light in Poland the remains of a child from the 17th century locked in his grave so that he cannot return to the world of the living, a discovery that turns the spotlight on vampires as Halloween approaches.

The bones of this child – aged six or seven – are the latest find in a cemetery in the village of Pien in northern Poland dating from an era in which ghosts, zombies and other supernatural figures were seen as little more than a masquerade option.

“This cemetery is for people who were rejected, who were feared after death and maybe in life… who were suspected of being in contact with dark forces, people who also behaved differently in some way”says Dariusz Polinski, a researcher of medieval burials at Nicolas Copernicus University in the city of Toruń.

The child had been buried face down and had a triangular, iron padlock under its foot — possibly in an attempt to prevent it from rising, exiting its grave and attacking the living— added the professor.

“Those who did it, if they did it on purpose, were afraid to… come into contact with such people because they might bite them, drink their blood”adds Polinsky.

The child’s grave had been desecrated sometime after the burial and all the bones had been removed except those of the legs.

Archaeologists have found other methods used to stop the living deadwith Polinsky describing strange practices that took place in various burials.

“There were even a large number of stone tombs… which were also supposed to protect the dead and were placed in various places, for example on the elbow, the larynx or the neck” concludes the professor.