Medieval Witches Graveyard Discovered In Italy

Here’s a macabre reminder of what happened to women who got out of line in medieval times. 800-year-old remains were found with seven nails driven through the jaw bone, leading archaeologists to conclude that the woman was believed to be a witch. The area in Tuscany is thought to be a witches graveyard, since another female skeleton was found surrounded by 17 dice, a game women were forbidden to play. The women, who were around 25 to 30 years old, were buried in shallow graves with no coffin or shroud, and the first had 13 nails strewn around her that were used to pin down her clothes. Archaeologist Alfonso Forgione says, “This indicates to me that it was an attempt to make sure the woman even though she was dead did not rise from the dead and unnerve the locals who were no doubt convinced she was a witch with evil powers.”