Scientists reconstruct face of 400-year-old ‘vampire’ buried with sickle across her neck in Poland
Pien: Scientists have unveiled the reconstructed face of a woman known as Zosia, who was buried over 400 years ago in Poland and labelled a vampire by the local community.
The remains of Zosia were discovered in 2022 by a team of archaeologists from Nicolaus Copernicus University in an unmarked cemetery in Pien. Archaeological findings indicated that she was buried with a padlock on her foot and an iron sickle across her neck, as reported by Reuters. Among other bodies found at the site was a “vampire” child buried face down, similarly padlocked.
The research team found that items such as the sickle, padlock, and specific types of wood found at the grave site were believed to possess magical properties intended to protect against vampires.
"It's really ironic; these people burying her, they did everything they could in order to prevent her from coming back from the dead. We have done everything we can in order to bring her back to life,” Swedish archaeologist Oscar Nilsson was quoted as saying by the news agency.
Nilsson noted that Zosia lived during a tumultuous time in 17th century Europe, a period marked by war and widespread fear, which likely fuelled beliefs in supernatural creatures. Aged 18-20 when she died, analysis of her skull suggested she may have suffered from a health condition that caused fainting and severe headaches, as well as possible mental health issues.
In a Facebook post, Nilsson shared that, according to legend, Zosia was initially buried only with a padlock. However, when villagers began experiencing a series of unexplainable bad luck, they felt compelled to take additional precautions.
"They opened her grave, found the padlock now open, and in great panic placed the sharp blade of a sickle over her neck," Nilsson wrote. "In case she would arise," he added.
The reconstruction process involved creating a 3D printed replica of Zosia's skull, followed by meticulously layering plasticine clay to recreate her facial features.
Nilsson aimed to bring Zosia back “as a human” rather than as the “monster” she was buried as. He expressed that it is emotional to watch a face coming back from the dead, especially when one knows the story of this young girl.
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Assam to lift all cases against Koch Rajbongshis in Foreigners' Tribunals: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
Guwahati, Apr 4 (PTI): The Assam cabinet has decided to lift all cases pending against people from the Koch Rajbongshi community in the Foreigners' Tribunals, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.
They will also no longer carry the tag of 'D' or doubtful voters, he said.
''There are 28,000 cases pending in different Foreigners' Tribunals in the state against people of the community. The cabinet has taken a historic decision of lifting the cases with immediate effect,'' Sarma said at a press conference here after the cabinet meeting.
The government believes that the Koch Rajbongshis are an indigenous community of the state and they are an inextricable part of ''our social and cultural fabric'', he asserted.
The people of this community are poor and have suffered a lot over the years, he said.
''They will no longer carry the tag of foreigners or ‘D’ voters,'' the CM said.
Foreigners Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies, particularly in Assam, established to determine if a person residing in India is a "foreigner" as defined by the Foreigners Act of 1946, based on the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order of 1964.
These tribunals are designed to address matters related to citizenship and the presence of “foreigners” in India, specifically focusing on cases where someone is suspected of being an illegal immigrant.
There are 100 Foreigners’ Tribunals across Assam.
The Koch Rajbongshis have a sizeable presence in Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and parts of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, and they demand Scheduled Tribe status.
