Scientists have reconstructed the face of a 16th-century woman believed to have been buried as a vampire. Discovered in a mᴀss grave on the Venetian island of Lazzaretto Nuovo, the woman’s remains tell a chilling tale of suspicion and fear in the face of the bubonic plague that ravaged Europe during her time.

Scientists have reconstructed the face of a 16th-century woman believed to have been buried as a vampire. Credit: Cicero Moraes, OrtogOnline 2024

Dating back to 2006, the excavation of this burial site unearthed a skull with a peculiar addition: a brick wedged into the woman’s mouth. This unsettling find led researchers to delve into the grim folklore of the era, where tales of vampires roaming the land were not uncommon.

Forensic researcher Cícero Moraes took on the challenge of reconstructing the woman’s face, utilizing cutting-edge technology and 3D imaging to bring her likeness to life. The result is a hauntingly realistic depiction of a woman with a pointed chin, wrinkled skin, and silver hair, capturing the essence of her appearance in the 16th century.

The woman lived into her 60s, according to researchers. Credit: Cicero Moraes, OrtogOnline 2024

The woman believed to have been in her 60s at the time of her death, bore the hallmarks of a life lived in the lower echelons of society, subsisting mainly on grains and vegetables. Her reconstructed face reveals a pointed chin, silver hair, wrinkled skin, and a slightly crooked nose.

Researcher Cicero Moraes recreated the brick using styrofoam to see if it could fit in his mouth. Credit: Cicero Moraes, OrtogOnline 2024

But what of the brick that held such macabre significance? Through a series of experiments, Moraes and his team explored the possibility of its intentional placement. Recreating the brick with styrofoam, they found that it could indeed be inserted into a human mouth without causing significant damage, lending credence to the notion that its placement was a deliberate act.

Matteo Borrini, a forensic anthropologist involved in the research, delved into the historical context surrounding the burial. He explained, “Vampires don’t exist, but studies show people at the time believed they did.” It was this belief that likely led to the woman’s posthumous ordeal, as locals sought to protect themselves from the perceived threat of the unᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

The reconstruction shows how it would have been possible to bury the woman with a brick in her mouth. Credit: Cicero Moraes, OrtogOnline 2024

As we peer into the face of this 16th-century woman, we are confronted not only with her individual story but with the broader tapestry of human experience that spans centuries.

More information: Moraes, C. (2024). A Aproximação Facial da ‘Vampira’ de Veneza (Séc. XVI-XVII), OrtogOnline, Vol. 5, No. 1. doi:10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.25447270