Hillbilly Zombies linked to ancient ruins
In an unexpected collision between architectural history and presumed science fiction, a strange Southern Appalachian mystery has apparently been solved. The answer was in a four century old book.
"Since the 1960s residents and vacationers in the mountains of Georgia have intermittently made frantic 911 calls to sheriff’s departments concerning the appearance of zombies walking past their tents, cabins or farmhouses at night. Terrified callers described young men or women, appearing out of nowhere in the wee hours of the morning, who were oblivious to flashlights, shouts and dogs. None were armed. None spoke or threatened the callers in any way. All merely appeared out of the darkness with blank faces and then walked back into the darkness, as if lost in time and space.
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Copal is the hardened sap made from some species of the bursera plant family. Several species of this bush grow in the Georgia Mountains. They were made into medicinal teas by Native Americans and early European settlers. Very weak solutions of some species were used for pain killers. Other species were anti-inflammatory medicines that gave relief to arthritis, bruises and joint injuries. One species of the plant in the Georgia Mountains, Bursera hindsiana, is similar to the species ofBursera used in Mexico to produce copal. It both produces a sap that hardens into an amber-like substance that can be used as incense, and has psychotropic effects on humans.
Early frontiersmen knew only to give weak solutions of Bursera hindsiana tea. Somewhat stronger solutions would cause the victims to appear mentally retarded or afflicted with dementia. Very strong doses, especially when mixed with alcohol, caused catatonic states that could last for days.
A catatonic state is the scientific way of describing a zombie. Apparently, some folks in the Georgia Mountains have been tampering with old home remedies to the point where they can knock folks for a wallop. Beware when someone there tells you that they no longer drink tea, but they made some special tea for you!"
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