Archaeologists identify 17th-century woman Zosia as a wealthy individual who was buried with protective objects to prevent her from rising from the grave

Archaeologists in Poland have identified a 17th-century woman named Zosia, who was buried with unique protective measures to prevent her from returning to the world of the living. Discovered in 2022 in the village of Pień, Zosia was between 17 and 19 years old at the time of her death. Researchers found a triangular padlock on her big toe and a sickle across her neck, which were intended to protect the community from the deceased. The sickle was added after the initial burial while the body was still intact. Additionally, a copper object was placed in her mouth, leaving a greenish mark on her palate. Analysis of her remains suggests Zosia came from a wealthy or noble family, evidenced by silk fabrics and gold and silver threads found in her grave. While she suffered from a physical deformity in her sternum and an anatomical variation in her neck vertebrae, there were no clear signs of which disease or violence caused her death. Dariusz Poliński, the lead researcher, suggested that Zosia may have been blamed for local misfortunes like famine or disease. The girl was likely a migrant of at least second degree, with DNA showing a connection to Scandinavia.

Sources

• New York Post
  'Vampire' so feared she was locked in booby-trapped grave was teen girl who met horror movie fate: experts
• scienceinpoland.pl
  ‘Vampire’ grave mystery deepens as 17th-century woman ‘may have been an outsider’
• The Daily Galaxy
  Scientists Rebuild Face of ‘Vampire’ Woman Buried 400 Years Ago With a Sickle Across Her Neck
• mezha.net
  Archaeologists investigate a Polish burial designed to stop a young woman returning from the grave

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Paywall and unreadable sources

• The Economic Times
  300 years later, archaeologists uncovered why this 17th-century Polish woman was buried with a padlock on