In modern vampire lore, the process for becoming undead typically involves a darkly romantic setting, a fang-y bite, and a long, dramatic drink from the neck. But that’s the result of the last hundred years or so of vampire stories. In post-medieval Poland, undead evil was far more banal and less elegant; it was believed to possess the souls of those who had the misfortune to die early in epidemics, by suicide, or simply before being baptized. So when it came time to bury these poor souls, care was taken…
