 Cultural practices often arose that were intended to prevent a recently deceased loved one from turning into an undead revenant . Burying a corpse upside @-@ down was widespread , as was placing earthly objects , such as scythes or sickles , near the grave to satisfy any demons entering the body or to appease the dead so that it would not wish to arise from its coffin . This method resembles the Ancient Greek practice of placing an obolus in the corpse 's mouth to pay the toll to cross the River Styx in the underworld . It has been argued that instead , the coin was intended to ward off any evil spirits from entering the body , and this may have influenced later vampire folklore . This tradition persisted in modern Greek folklore about the vrykolakas , in which a wax cross and piece of pottery with the inscription " Jesus Christ conquers " were placed on the corpse to prevent the body from becoming a vampire . 
