Medieval Zombies
The earliest accounts of "zombie " or Revenants as the church called them, occurs in the writings of William of Newburg 1136 - 1199?. He gives an account of a zombie rampage near Anantis Castle (Dumfriesshire, Scotland). he describes how villagers were beaten up by a vagrant monster. Searching for the source of this monster they opened graves and found a corpse covered with blood. A villager split the side of the corpse open and removed its heart.
From about 1300 onwards some people were buried with bricks in their mouths to stop their corpse feeding on nearby corpses and passerbys. The main threat to the general population from Revenants was being hit - not bitten.
Source New Scientist 29 jan 2011 "The real vampire hunters"
and
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/williamofnewburgh-five.html#22
From about 1300 onwards some people were buried with bricks in their mouths to stop their corpse feeding on nearby corpses and passerbys. The main threat to the general population from Revenants was being hit - not bitten.
Source New Scientist 29 jan 2011 "The real vampire hunters"
and
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/williamofnewburgh-five.html#22