Vampires, Burial and Death by Paul Barber includes a chapter which has been part of my current research rabbit-holes. This chapter looks at the various methods of body disposal and the cultural beliefs surrounding death and corpses particularly to the prevention of creating vampires or revenants.
A summary of the relevant points:
Summary
The importance of body disposal methods in various cultures primarily driven by the fear of corpses and the need to prevent them from becoming revenants or vampires where vampiric belief is found. Three main principles surrounding body disposal is that:
1. Disposal should happen as quickly as possible
2. The corpse should be “inert” (covered/preserved) as soon as possible
3. The corpse should be minimally handled
Analysis of Disposal Methods
Cremation
This is a highly effective process at rendering bodies inert by reducing them to ashes but the process of cremations is slow and labor-intensive. It is noted that some cultures cremate bodies specifically to prevent vampirism.
Burial
This is a slower process and labour-intensive but allows the body to be rendered inert while in the grave. Problems include more handling of the corpse and potential that shallow burials can allow corpses to re-surface or floods uncovering graves and exposing the bodies.
Water Disposal
This is a quick process with minimal handling of the corpse but these may float to the surface or back to riverbanks unless heavily weighted down. Peat bog disposal is a more effective for preservation method and also requires minimal handling and the body is rendered “inert” or disposal fairly quickly.
Excarnation
This process involves exposing bodies to scavenging birds or animals and also the manually removal flesh from bones. This process is labour-intensive, involves handling the corpses but does render the body inert quickly.
Covering with Rocks/Brush
This is a quick process of disposal that requires minimal handling of the corpse but does leave the body vulnerable to scavengers disturbing the remains and is less effective as rendering the body inert.
Embalming/Mummification
These processes are labour-intensive, require handling of the corpse but do render them inert over time. Culturally, the process of mummification may prevent the transformation of the corpse into a dangerous revenant through maintains its original appearance.
Conclusion
Vampires, Burial and Death is a delivered from an anthropological perspective, examining burial practices across various cultures and time periods.
Different cultures have specific rituals and beliefs around death, including that the deceased spirt could be affected by the condition of their corpse. However, there is also in depth discussion on how grave goods and burial practices often serve protective as functions to the deceased and the community.
Overall, the chapter examines cultural burial customs where these can be understood as practical responses to human fear of corpses and the belief that improperly handled corpses pose dangers to the living. whether as disease potentials or more supernatural creatures such as revenants and vampires.
Leanbh Pearson 