Saved by The Bell
by Taphophbia, a fear of being buried alive.
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The fear of being buried alive, is the fear of being placed in a grave, while still live as a result of being incorrectly pronounced dead.
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The psychological, version of this fear is refers to as Taphophbia, (from Greek taphs, meaning “grave”) which is translated as “fear of graves.”
through history there have been numerous cases of people being buried alive, this fear was and still is greatly feared. This tale dates back to the 1600’s, when England was being devastated by the plague. How did they handle their fear?
Their cemeteries, were full to the brim. The medical and political authorities were panicking that they had nowhere for the ever growing dead bodes to go. They came up with the idea, of digging up coffins, that were occupied to make more room for the newly dead, solving the problem of having no room.
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Every thing was going well until they started to open the coffins lids, they have made a chilling discovery. They found claw marks scratched on the inside of the coffin lids, as well as the bodes them selves were distorted and many had their mouths open. These people were in fact buried alive. With modern medicine being like it was at the time, it was easy to say that the person was dead, when really the person was in a coma or a coma like state.
This had brought the fear, of being buried alive to fever point. And they set out to find something to stop, this from happening in the future.
They came up with a simple bell, that would ring if the person suddenly woke up in there coffin, letting the people around know they were alive.
Each person that was pronounced dead, and then buried had a string attached to there wrist, which was then strung up through the coffin, and up out of the grave and attached to a bell that sat on top of their grave. If the person woke up in their panic. Yes I think there would be panic. They would move their wrists, and pull on the string that was attached to the bell, alerting someone to get them out, saving them from a truly horrible death. The saying saved by the bell is said to have originated from this story, because it gets people out of sticky situations.
The fear of being buried alive is very much alive to day, and is still used as a form of execution. Mistakes still happen, but very rarely.
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Post Commentblackrockrose
On October 13, 2009 at 7:28 am
I’ve been told that this is where the expression ‘dead ringer’ comes from, but I can’t make the connection between being buried alive and looking exactly like someone else.
giftarist
On October 13, 2009 at 8:41 am
Great article..very interesting..
Christine Ramsay
On October 13, 2009 at 10:33 am
I have always had a fear of being buried, because I am claustophobic. Now I understand what the problem may be. An interesting piece.
Christine
Aleena
On October 13, 2009 at 11:38 am
Very interesting read, I had no idea they came up with the bell system to prevent people from being buried alive! Thanks for sharing this
Olivia Van Logum
On October 13, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Really interesting article – thanks for sharing!
Ruby Hawk
On October 13, 2009 at 6:21 pm
I have always thought emblaming was barbaric but maybe it’s a good thing.
writing4angels
On October 14, 2009 at 6:16 am
Very interesting article. Thank you.
lillyrose
On October 14, 2009 at 10:14 am
I never new that was where the saying came from!!! But you picked up on my fear and now I had to read about it!! my worst nightmare, I want a bell right now!!!!!! what about if your cremated? do you get a fire extinguisher? LOL great article madam!
smartytarty
On October 16, 2009 at 1:46 pm
That’s very interesting- and strange! Isn’t Saved by the bell a tv show? WEIRD!