The Dunbar story, whatever its relationship to what actually happened in 1915, fits with remarkable precision into this narrative tradition.

Jan Bondeson and the Modern Version

The version of the Essie Dunbar story most widely known today — the version that circulates on websites, in videos, in popular articles — derives primarily from Jan Bondeson’s 2001 book, Buried Alive: The Terrifying History of Our Most Primal Fear.

Bondeson, a Swedish physician and medical historian, produced a comprehensive scholarly treatment of the history of premature burial fears and documented premature burial cases.

The book was widely reviewed and became influential in popular culture’s engagement with the subject.