The discovery of the graves of suspected vampires in Bulgaria may turn into a tourism gold mine, according to local news reports.
During excavations of a monastery in the city of Sozopol, Bulgaria's National Museum of History says it unearthed two skeletons that showed the deceased person had been stabbed through the heart with an iron rod.
"This was (the) customary way (in) Bulgarian medieval tradition to deal with people which were presumed to be vampires," the museum's website says.
People at the time of the burial of the skeletons, about 700 years ago, thought that stabbing the corpses multiple times with an iron rod through the heart would prevent the dead from rising and attacking the living, museum director Bozhidar Dimitrov said, according to a report from the Sofia News Agency.
Dimitrov said more than 100 such "vampire" burials have been discovered in Bulgaria over the years, according to the Sofia News Agency.
But headlines of the latest find have piqued interest in the U.S., Europe and Asia, the report said, and tour operators are fielding inquiries about what it called "vampire vacations."
Already, people were lining up at the excavation site at the monastery of St. Nicolas the Wonderworker, the Sofia News Agency reported.
Big lines for vampires could pump even more blood into the country's expanding tourism industry. Bulgaria led the European Union last year in the increase in hotel occupancy by foreigners, with numbers up almost 20% over the previous year.
No stats on how many of those folks slept with the lights on, however.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Well duh...everybody knows there were vampires back then in old europe. Doesn't any one watch tv?
Some bones and a steel pipe through the ribs in the center.
Gee,let's go seven thousand miles to see that.
Try again.
Really ashamed too because some of that country is stunningly beautiful.
Wow! I'm always in awe when people go as far afield as rabid pseudo political commentators. Did any one actually read the story? What did these people do that made their executioners wanna make sure they would never come back? Maybe they were Trolls.
And they burned suspected witches, does that prove they were witches?
It reminds me of Bugs Bunny and the vampire at his castle. Transylvania 6-5000
Lol...true!
Well, anyone who would go all the way there to look at some skeletons with a wooden stake in them is wasting their time and money. You can do that at home.
I fled Bulgaria in 1325 to Europe and then to America in 1796 where I lived ever since. Those Bulgarians were brutal with those steel rods and cloves of Garlic.
@ I want to drink your blood, thanks for the laugh!!
Thanks, I want to drink your blood!
Is it any better here?
Dear, Vampire.
You've been invited to an all-expenses paid trip to Bulgaria for you, your family, and your friends!
This is not an optional trip so please don't try running.
Sincerly,
Mr. Selhing
Buddy: are you telling people to impale illegal immigrants?
are you really a vampire?
I didn't get to read through all the previous posts, so, sorry if someone already said this but, I would find it hard to believe these were "vampires". People in that time frame blamed anyone of being a vampire or witch and then killing them how they saw fit, which in most cases (I'll assume), these people were none of those accusations! I wouldn't pay to go to Bulgaria to look at "OoOoOoh, the skeleton of a VAMPIRE"..... but power to those who will/would!
Yeah, you're right – no such thing – but people were gullible back then, as they are now. I'd like to travel there just for the historical aspect of it, not to see skeletons, tho.
Not true. If you want to know the history read Vampires, Burial, and Death:Folklore and Reality by Paul Barber. We are post-Bram Stoker's Dracula which played off the very real beliefs of medieval Eastern Europe. Their beliefs were based off of what happens to some corpses after death which can be medically explained today. Anyway, belief in Vampires was very real, and is where we get phrases such as "Turning Over in his grave."
Wow. No one actually thinks they were real vampires, you're just the only bright spark who felt the need to actually say it out loud....
It's only been on three days. Relax!
Were the vampires faces eaten off? Were did they bury zombies? Rule #1: DOUBLE TAP!! Use silver bullets for vampires or zombies!!
You wouldn't hit a bat with glasses on would you?
Some modern day vampires:
Ari Fleisher
Donald Trump
Sarah Palin
Actually no, we are real – we're hoping the silly vampire shows will get humans used to the idea. We'd like to live in peace and only feed upon those who should be eliminated – murderers, lawyers, politicians and such. Hopefully over the next 50 years or so we can come out of the closet.
Get real...The politicians are only paid off by their rich benefactors (1% ers) to do their bidding...It has always been that way...sugar coat it all you want, but that it is plain and simple.
I just want to know one thing. Do their bones sparkle in the sunlight?