Skip to main content
Access to this video is a benefit for members through PBS Passport.
Back to Show
Secrets of the Dead

Field of Vampires

Season 22 Episode 2

In 2022, a terrifying discovery: a female skeleton dating from 1650, buried with a sickle across her neck and giant padlock on her toe—double protection to keep her from rising from the dead. All the evidence points to her being buried as a vampire... and she’s not alone, with more than 50 deviant burials around her. Who was she and what did these burial rituals mean?

Watch Preview
Support Provided By
Season
Picturing Shakespeare
55:15
Could the discovery of a third portrait of William Shakespeare be a genuine article?
Secrets of the Dead Season 22
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Scientists study medieval bubonic plague victims in hopes of preventing future outbreaks.
Cracking the Queen's Code
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
See how secret letters written by Mary, Queen of Scots, were finally decoded.
Cleopatra's Last Temple
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
An unprecedented discovery could reveal new information about Cleopatra’s reign.
The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
The spectacular arena showcasing Ancient Rome’s power also contributed to its downfall.
Secrets of the Dead Season 22
Unlock with PBS Passport
54:25
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the post-war life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse.
Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part One)
Unlock with PBS Passport
54:50
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse.
Lost Treasures of Angkor
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Priceless artifacts in Laos reveal holy sites from the early days of the Khmer Empire.
Lost Treasures of Angkor – The Discovery
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
The discovery of priceless artifacts in Laos sheds light on the ancient Khmer Empire.
The Civil War's Lost Massacre
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:23
A search for the remains of Black Union soldiers murdered toward the end of the Civil War.
The Herculaneum Scrolls
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Scientists attempt to read ancient scrolls carbonized by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
Mozart's Sister
Unlock with PBS Passport
55:15
Learn the untold story of Maria Anna Mozart, Wolfgang’s older sister and collaborator.
Active loading indicator