Scientists in Poland have recreated the face of a young ‘vampire’ woman believed to have been buried centuries ago with restraints intended to prevent her from “coming back to life.”
Using advanced technology, sculptor and archaeologist Oscar D. Nilsson together with researchers from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń recreated her appearance, giving the public a glimpse of what she may have looked like when she lived in the 17th century.
Bringing Zosia’s face back to life
To achieve this, scientists first created a 3D-printed model of her skull. They then carefully layered clay over it, shaping her facial features based on details like bone structure, age, and estimated ethnicity.
The reconstructed face allows viewers to see Zosia – as the researchers have named her – for the first time in hundreds of years. Archaeologist Oscar D. Nilsson, who led the process, highlighted an ironic twist: while people from her time tried everything to keep her from “returning,” today’s scientists have worked hard to bring her face back into view.
Discovery of the skeleton
Zosia’s skeleton was first discovered in a medieval cemetery in the village of Pien, Poland. Researchers found her lying in an unusual grave, with a sickle, a curved iron blade, placed across her neck, and a padlock attached to the big toe of her left foot.
Experts believe these items were placed to keep her spirit from rising, showing old superstitions and beliefs about the dead.
Professor Dariusz Poliński, who led the team, explained that the sickle was likely positioned to injure or even decapitate Zosia if she attempted to “rise.” People in those days feared certain individuals might return from the dead, which led to the use of such rituals.
The padlock fastened to her toe may have symbolized a barrier, suggesting her spirit couldn’t return. These practices, though rare, reveal how some communities in the past tried to protect themselves from the supernatural.
A woman of high status
Despite the unusual burial, Zosia’s remains included a silk cap, an expensive item that only the wealthy could afford at the time. This indicates she may have come from a high-status family.
Researchers believe she was between 18 and 20 years old when she died. They also speculate that she might have had health conditions, possibly causing fainting or severe headaches, that could have led people to misunderstand her as being different or “cursed.”
In the same cemetery, archaeologists discovered another grave, this time of a child, who was also buried with unusual measures. The child’s body was placed face down with a padlock on the foot, showing similar beliefs aimed at preventing any return from the dead.
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