According to Dr. Willencore, “Our team is excavating the site of Steophan the Commoner, a very unique site in that it is one of the oldest and best preserved Viking stone ship burial mounds in Europe, and that it was made for a person of non-royal blood. Generally, only the wealthiest kings and chieftains ever had elaborate burial ceremonies during these times, so for Steophan to warrant such lavish treatment indicates he must have accomplished something very great in his life.”

That great accomplishment might have been the elimination of the world’s first zombie plague. Runic engravings on the sarcophagus of Steophan name him as, “Defender of the Faith. Slayer of Draugr.” “Draugr,” explains Dr. Willencore, “is a unique concept in Scandinavian folklore. Where almost every culture has stories of ghosts, goblins, demons, and other spiritual evils, the Draugr was considered an actual reanimated corpse, and, according to the folklore, almost identical in every way to the modern zombie. The Draugr would reanimate shortly after death, show immediate hostility toward anyone near it, cannibalizing those it managed to capture, and most intriguingly, could only be killed by decapitation or destruction of the brain.

Grave sites
“The inscription is not remarkable on its own. Vast numbers of grave sites list the heroic deeds of the deceased, and if we were to take them literally, then we would have to believe Europe was once populated with dragons, werewolves and elves. What is unique with Steophan’s mound is he was evidently buried with the Draugr he destroyed.”

Excavations at the site discovered the decapitated remains of four individuals buried under the feet of Steophan. Incredibly, two of the individuals show bone evidence of reanimation.

Tell-tale signs
Dr. Olaf Shogg, of Stockholm Medical College verified the findings, “The lack of blood flow and the high stresses on joints and ligaments in the bodies of the Undead leave unmistakable imprints. Deep, repetitive grooves worn in the joints, unusual wear patterns on the teeth and feet, and other obvious injuries that no living person could have sustained and still been ambulatory, make the identification of Undead remains very easy."

“I have verified the presence of all these indicators on two of the specimens from the Vasteras dig. In these cases, I do not see any other explanation for the evidence other than they were actual walking corpses for at least several weeks after natural death."

“The other two bodies do not show conclusive evidence of reanimation. However, they both show deep bone lacerations indicative of a wild animal attack. So, it is possible these two could have been either victims, or perhaps even, offerings to the Undead, or reanimated and destroyed before severe damage was done to their skeletal structure. Additionally, one had a large puncture wound to it's forehead”

Dr. Wellincore’s discovery has energized the scientific community, burdened by increased criticism at the slow pace of “Necro-Mortosis” research. “I cannot understate the importance of this discovery if it is completely verified,” said Chris Hanlon, of the Center for Disease Control. "Perhaps, at least some progress will occur now that Scientists have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells."

“One of the largest challenges we face in unlocking the “Necro-Mortosis” code is to ascertain how the virus originated. If we are able to extract DNA from these bodies in Sweden, we might be able to catch a glimpse of a ‘beta version’ of the Undead virus. Something for us to compare the modern DNA against and possibly lead us to clues on how to fight it. Even if what killed these people was not “Necro-Mortosis,” the similarity in symptoms would make whatever we discover an invaluable tool. This is how diseases are cured.”

Caution urged
UCLA Professor Edward Billings, however, warns caution, “It is far too early to make any grand announcements about this find. There are still too many unanswered questions. How did this alleged virus get to Sweden? Where did it go? Why would it disappear for a thousand years only to reappear today? Is it even a virus? For all we know, all the bone evidence claimed could be nothing more than advanced arthritis.”

Dr. Wellcore offers a partial explanation, “The Vikings were the greatest seafarers of their age. They traveled throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North America. If the Zombie virus actually existed somewhere in the world during the 9th to 12th Centuries, there is no culture in the world more likely to encounter, and possibly import it to Europe, than the Vikings.