Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.With a sickle across her neck and a padlock on her left big toe, the corpse of a young woman found in northern Poland would have been unable to rise from her unmarked grave, according to local 17th century folklore. But her identity and how she ended up in such a state are secrets researchers say they are just beginning to unlock.Archaeologists first made the grim discovery in 2022 and have been studying the remains to understand who the woman was and why she, and perhaps others buried in the same field around 400 years ago, were feared as vampires or demons.Now, using the contours of her skull as well as information in a DNA sample extracted from her skeleton, researchers have recreated what her face may have looked like. The striking 3D reconstruction of Zosia, as locals nicknamed her, sheds light on the human found in the grisly grave.Archaeologist Dariusz Poliński, who led the team that unearthed Zosia’s remains, said it was a “mind-blowing” moment when he saw the reconstruction by Swedish forensic artist Oscar Nilsson for the first time.“He added so much feeling, so much emotion,” said Poliński, a professor of medieval history at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland. “It wasn’t a mask.”The research team’s journey of uncovering Zosia’s identity is featured in the new documentary “Field of Vampires,” which was produc …
