Scientists recreate face of Scottish ‘witch’ using 3D wizardry

A Scottish “witch,” who died before she could be burned to death, has been given new life by forensic scientists.

Historian Louise Yeoman of BBC Radio Scotland’s “Time Travels” program and forensic artists at a Scottish university digitally reconstructed the face of Lilias Adie, who died in jail 300 years ago after confessing to being a witch and having sex with the devil, BBC reported.

Most witches were burned to ash at the stake — destroying any hope of scientists using their remains to reimagine what they looked like — but Adie’s skull was photographed in the 1800s, allowing forensic artists to reconstruct her face using 3D virtual sculpture.

“There was nothing in Lilias’ story that suggested to me that nowadays she would be considered as anything other than a victim of horrible circumstances,” said forensic artist Dr. Christopher Rynn. “I saw no reason to pull the face into an unpleasant or mean expression and she ended up having quite a kind face, quite naturally.”

Two years ago, BBC Radio teamed up with an archaeologist to identify the spot on the Fife coastline where Adie was buried in 1704.

The witch’s grave was located under a large stone, as locals believed it would stop her from being brought back to life by the devil to torment the living.

Her remains were exhumed in the 1800s and her skull was photographed while in a museum, before going missing some time in the 20th century.

While in jail, Adie was tortured and interrogated about witches gatherings, and historians believe she took her own life.

“It’s sad to think her neighbors expected some terrifying monster when she was actually an innocent person who’d suffered terribly,” Yeoman said. “The only thing that’s monstrous here is the miscarriage of justice.”