If the community was convinced there was a vampire among them or if there had been reports of attacks in the near communities, search parties would be dispensed to the graveyard.
The idea may seam far off to some, but we`re not referring to gatherings similar to those presented in the movies [in “angry torch-carrying mob” scenes].
One cannot fully understand the emotions that drove the peasants back then… grief over loving someone [remember that usually the family members were present during the ritualistic eradication of the so called vampires], fear over losing another family member, confusion and impossibility to go against the majority.
Since it was believed that vampires have the ability to hypnotize the caretakers into protecting them during the day – when the vampire is confined to his coffin, if the gravediggers were protective of several graves, those were scrutinized first.
§ In the case of a careful inspection at the cemetery, the following were considered proof of vampirism:
– holes in the ground
– disarranged dirt on and around the grave
– unusual [dens] fog, especially at nightfall
– scratches on the tomb stones
– fallen and/or dismantled crosses
– tracks on remote or auxiliary exits from the cemetery
– sounds similar to sighs herd from inside the graves during sunset
– strange animal behavior, such as: birds not singing, dogs barking and refusing to enter the cemetery, geese get restless around certain tombs, horses refuse to advance towards certain graves.
§ When opening a coffin, people would look out for:
– eyes and/or mouth open
– unusually pale or reddish face
– teeth or fangs that are larger than normal [not necessarily sharp]
– bloated body [people assumed it was due to the drinking of blood]
– hair longer that at the burial
– long and/or transparent fingernails
– flexible extremities
– lack of decomposition
– blood around the mouth and/or in the coffin
– white liver [when removed]
๑۞๑ Related: ๑۞๑
† Vampire Accounts
† Legends
Scarlett Memories 