Rest in Face: The Forensic Approximation of Individual 157 from the Račeša Necropolis (13th–14th Century)

The Račeša necropolis in Croatia is a complex archaeological site dated from the 13th to 16th centuries, initially associated with the Templars and later with the Order of the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem. Excavations between 2012 and 2023 revealed an extensive architectural structure and 181 inhumations, most following the traditional Christian rite. However, grave 157 stood out for its atypical nature: a middle-aged man (40-50 years), stature of 164 cm, with evidence of occupational stress and intense physical violence, including old lesions on the maxilla and ribs, and perimortem traumas on the cranium caused by a sharp object. The burial deviated from the standard, with the thorax in a prone position (face down) and the cranium removed and repositioned 30 cm from the neck, suggesting postmortem manipulation motivated by beliefs in revenants (vampires) according to Slavic traditions. Given this singular profile, this study applied forensic facial approximation to the fragmented cranium, reconstructed via computed tomography and open-source digital tools such as OrtogOnBlender. The cranium, segmented into 21 parts, underwent anatomical repositioning, with soft tissue projections based on European population averages, soft tissue thickness markers, and anatomical deformation using a virtual donor. Three images were generated: two objective ones in grayscale without facial hair and one artistic with speculative coloration. Additionally, the brain volume of 1488 cm³ indicated mild megalencephaly (+2.59 standard deviations relative to the modern male average).