Ancient Faces

I found this article today about a young Korean servant girl, from 1500 years ago, who has had her face and body reconstructed.

www.dailymail.co.uk...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a651d200a36d.jpg[/atsimg]

And by using modern technology South Korean archaeologists have been able to recreate just how the 5ft servant girl would have looked 1,500 years ago, the first time such a task has been done in the country.

The life-size model of what is believed to be a 16-year-old who lived with a powerful family in the sixth century Gaya Kingdom (42-562) was unveiled today.

This has given me the idea to create a gallery, on this thread, of ancient people who have had their faces reconstructed using modern techniques.

I will be posting more information, as and when I can find it.

[edit on 25-11-2009 by berenike]

Here is a reconstruction of Queen Cleopatra:

www.dailymail.co.uk...

Pieced together from images on ancient artefacts, including a ring dating from Cleopatra's reign 2,000 years ago, it is the culmination of more than a year of painstaking research.
The result is a beautiful young woman of mixed ethnicity - very different to the porcelain-skinned Westernised version portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1961 movie Cleopatra.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c26f8192c63f.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/80881858ea52.jpg[/atsimg]

Bust of Cleopatra:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/b0e7a835a21b.jpg[/atsimg]

Reconstruction of Cleopatra's sister, Arsinoe:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/633d8e40b2b7.jpg[/atsimg]

Bust of Arsinoe:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3cb698e6c713.jpeg[/atsimg]

[edit on 25-11-2009 by berenike]

I've taken this quote and picture from Flickr, but unfortunately couldn't get a link to work:

Archaeologists believe they have located the grave of 16th-century astronomer and solar-system proponent Nicolaus Copernicus in a Polish church, one of the scientists announced Thursday.

Copernicus, who died in 1543 at 70 after challenging the ancient belief that the sun revolved around the earth, was buried at the Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Frombork, 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of the capital, Warsaw.

Jerzy Gassowski, head of an archaeology and anthropology institute in the central Polish city of Pultusk, said his four-member team found what appears to be the skull of the Polish astronomer and clergyman in August, after a one-year search of tombs under the church floor.

“We can be almost 100 percent sure this is Copernicus,” Gassowski told The Associated Press by phone after making the announcement during a meeting of scientists.

Gassowski said police forensic experts used the skull to reconstruct a face that closely resembled the features — including a broken nose and scar above the left eye — on a Copernicus self-portrait. The experts also determined the skull belonged to a man who died at about age 70.

The grave was in bad condition and not all remains were found, Gassowski said, adding that his team will try to find relatives of Copernicus to do more accurate DNA identification.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/73ceef866d44.jpg[/atsimg]

[edit on 25-11-2009 by berenike]

reply to post by berenike


This is very odd OP. It was just two days ago I was thinking of this very thread. For quite a while now I have been hoping someone would pick up the task of facial reconstruction on a few of these. I bet they're frightening.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/376b1f8ab615.jpg[/atsimg]





[edit on 25-11-2009 by randyvs]

Here's King Tutankhamen - a French version:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/da730e2b21c2.jpg[/atsimg]

There is a lot more information and alternative reconstructions on this site:

wysinger.homestead.com...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/413a088536cd.jpg[/atsimg]

[edit on 25-11-2009 by berenike]

reply to post by berenike

Great thread...here's my contribution...Kenniwick Man:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0616d452fb4c.jpg[/atsimg]


No Captain Picard jokes, please...

[edit on 25-11-2009 by JohnnyCanuck]

Here is Johann Sebastian Bach:

news.bbc.co.uk...


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a183bdbf2ae2.jpg[/atsimg]

[edit on 25-11-2009 by berenike]

Fantastic thread. It is a weird feeling, to look at these faces and see that they look like ordinary people who you'd walk by in the street today.

Cleopatra is interesting because I always wanted to know what she looked like. Last I heard was that researchers concluded she wasn't actually as attractive as once thought - but that picture you posted would suggest otherwise so I'm puzzled on the accuracy of these reconstructions.

reply to post by Nventual


I'm not 100% convinced either, but I thought it would be an interesting exercise. I loved the little Korean servant girl I started the thread with.

I love the idea.

I'll see if I can find any online (I have lots of "ancient faces" in my old-fashioned paper library).

Originally posted by Nventual
Last I heard was that researchers concluded she wasn't actually as attractive as once thought

The reconstructions - or her actual face, such as it was - are beside the point.
Historic evidence shows quite clearly that Cleopatra was uncommonly attractive.

It's just that attractiveness - or sex appeal - isn't necessarily synonymous with physical beauty.







[edit on 25-11-2009 by Vanitas]

Here is an article explaining a bit more about facial reconstruction:

www.pustakalaya.org...

Here is a picture of the Spirit Caveman, taken from the article:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/9d3bf04dc139.jpg[/atsimg]

"Facial reconstruction of The Spirit Cave Man, one of very few complete skeletons found in the United States over 8,000 years old".

[edit on 25-11-2009 by berenike]

I'd like to see reconstructions done of skulls belonging to people who died in recent years, by people who had no idea what the person looked like and didn't know their name, and then for the reconstruction to be compared to actual photographic evidence of the person before they died. Then I'd trust these reconstructions.

I tried to find Petrarch's face, but it appears it hasn't been "reconstructed" yet.
I've been interested in it ever since 2003, when his body was exhumed and it was first announced.

Unless somebody misplaced his head - again...

Originally posted by berenike
"Facial reconstruction of The Spirit Cave Man, one of very few complete skeletons found in the United States over 8,000 years old".

Yes, known in anthropological circles as Kenniwick Man, from his place of discovery.

Along with reconstructions, though, we also have very well-preseved remains that are found in peat bogs...a whole 'nother story there.
Here is Tollund Man, who lived in Denmark in the 4th century BC, and discovered in 1950.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f7319e9d25a5.jpg[/atsimg]


He had been garroted, and tossed into the bog. A long sleep...

I do apologise if this is regarded as a more morbid contribution, but it is, indeed, an ancient face and he retains a great deal of dignity in his repose.

[edit on 25-11-2009 by JohnnyCanuck]

Originally posted by Nventual
I'd like to see reconstructions done of skulls belonging to people who died in recent years, by people who had no idea what the person looked like and didn't know their name, and then for the reconstruction to be compared to actual photographic evidence of the person before they died. Then I'd trust these reconstructions.

This is exactly the same technique that is used in forensic reconstruction in modern day crime labs and has been proven very accurate and useful in identifying missing persons from remains found.

The only thing they can't be accurate on is weight gain and hair lenth and style, as these have nothing to do with the shape of the scull.

Thanks nik. I take it there are other factors that are up to the artists discretion or historical evidence as well, such as eye colour. Do you happen to know how they can tell the length of ears or shape of nose from the skull? Interesting stuff.

reply to post by berenike


Great idea for a thread. Here's one I saw some time ago; Philip of Macedon (Alexander the Great's father):

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/98eb9460fb72.jpg[/atsimg]

www.le.ac.uk...

And another, this one from King Henry the Eight's Mary Rose.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6e150dba76d7.jpg[/atsimg]

tudorhistory.org...

reply to post by Nventual


I believe that the ears and nose continue to grow throughout your life, so size of both can be "guessed" from the age of the person at death (which they can find out from certain forensic markers on the skeleton.

As for the shape (and I am completely guessing here), I suppose they could use racial and regional aspects to have an educated attempt.

Interesting question though. I might have to look that up.