Scientists unveil face of "vampire" buried with sickle across her neck

Two years ago, archaeologists successful Poland made a discovery astatine a gravesite they could only picture arsenic "astonishing" — nan remains of a female pinch a sickle astir her cervix and a triangular padlock connected her foot.

Found successful an unmarked cemetery successful nan colony of Pien, nan 400-year-old female was thought to beryllium deemed a vampire and those who buried her placed nan farming instrumentality crossed her throat, according to ancient beliefs, to forestall her from returning from nan dead.

A investigation squad from nan Nicolaus Copernicus University successful Torun made nan unsocial find successful August 2022, and moving pinch Swedish archaeologist Oscar Nilsson, nan squad utilized DNA, 3D printing and clay to reconstruct nan look of Zosia, arsenic she was called by locals.

"It's really ironic, successful a way," Nilsson told nan Reuters news agency. "These group burying her, they did everything they could successful bid to forestall her from coming backmost from nan dormant ... we person done everything we tin successful bid to bring her backmost to life."

In a social media post, Nilsson said that, according to legend, Zosia was buried only pinch nan padlock, but erstwhile nan villagers began experiencing immoderate unexplainable bad luck, they decided they needed to return further action.

"They opened her grave, recovered nan padlock now open, and successful awesome panic placed nan crisp leaf of a sickle complete her neck," Nilsson said. "In lawsuit she would arise."

A female "vampire" skeleton was unearthed successful Poland, researchers announced. Nicolaus Copernicus University

This type of believe became communal passim Poland successful nan 17th century, arsenic a consequence to a reported vampire epidemic.

Professor Dariusz Polinski, who led nan investigation squad from Nicolaus Copernicus University, said that successful summation to practices pinch a sickle, sometimes corpses were burned, smashed pinch stones aliases had their heads and legs trim off. Just past month, archaeologists announced they had recovered nan remains of a decapitated "vampire child" successful Poland.

In an question and reply pinch CBS News successful 2022, Polinski said nan find of Zosia's remains near him speechless. 

"Such a discovery, particularly present successful Poland, is astonishing, particularly now — hundreds of years later," he said. "Pure astonishment."

Magdalena Zagrodzka, who was besides connected nan investigation squad that recovered Zosia, said nan woman's remains besides had a silk headdress, which was woven pinch golden aliases metallic thread. Zagrodzka said nan headdress is grounds of nan precocious societal position of nan woman.

To reconstruct nan woman's face, Nilsson created a 3D-printed replica of nan skull utilizing accusation astir nan woman's age, weight and different specifications to sculpt muscles and facial features, according to a video showing him astatine work.

"I'm utilized to reconstructing faces," Nilsson said, "but successful this case, also, I'm looking guardant to giving her immoderate quality dignity back."

Anna Noryskiewicz contributed to this report.

In:
• Archaeologist
• DNA
• Poland