14 DAY TRIAL // Modern forensic techniques make it possible for scientists working closely with law enforcement officers to put faces on murder victims.
Recently, Liverpool John Moores University forensic anthropologist and lecturer Matteo Borrini employed the very same techniques to recreate the face of a man who served as a priest in Ancient Egypt.
The man, who lived during Ancient Egypt's XVII Dynasty, i.e. from about 1580 to 1550 BC, appears to have died when about 50 years old.
Researcher Matteo Borrini and his collaborators started by using a CT scan to have a closer look at his remains. Then, they created an exact replica of his skull onto which they attached material to simulate tissues.
The fake muscles were modeled so as to match the individual fascicles revealed by the CT scan under the bandages obscuring the mummy.
As for the priest's face, forensic anthropologist Matteo Borrini simply determined its most likely shape by cross-referencing the most prominent particularities of the skull. Eventually, the researcher created a proper bust.
“The research allows us to use forensic investigation techniques for archaeological purposes to sketch the portrait of men who died millennia ago,” the specialist commented on his work in an interview.
“The bust I made presents the scientific methodology in a language compatible with the needs of the museum and in harmony with the other artifacts on display,” he added, as cited by DM.
This mummy whose face was reconstructed by Liverpool John Moores University expert Matteo Borrini is currently on display at the Egyptian Museum of Florence.
