Facial reconstructions of centuries-old Edinburgh-dwellers released

[Imperial Dave]

https://www.historyscotland.com/history/scottish-history/edinburgh-medieval-facial-reconstructions

I am pretty sure I have been out for a pint with the second person last time I was in Edinburgh....

[Justin Swanton]

I always wonder how accurate these reconstructions are. As an experiment, I would like to give the same skull to several entirely unrelated experts and see what they come up with. Betcha it won't the be the same or even similar.

[Erpingham]

I always wonder how accurate these reconstructions are. As an experiment, I would like to give the same skull to several entirely unrelated experts and see what they come up with. Betcha it won't the be the same or even similar.

I remember seeing this done once for, I think, a TV documentary.  The results were broadly similar but that's because the underlying model for e.g. tissue depth at certain points is the same.  Some things are always speculative, like ears.  These days, you can check DNA for things like skin, eye and hair colour though I've noticed some places use black and white reconstruction images where this hasn't been done (making it look even more like a Police wanted person poster).

[Imperial Dave]

there will always be an element of interpretation but it is interesting.....

[Nick Harbud]

Early forensic analysis indicates that the woman may have suffered from nutritional deficiencies.

Evidentally the deep-fried Mars bar was a feature of Scottish diet much earlier than previously thought....

[Imperial Dave]

 

[Nick Harbud]

...and did you like the way they managed to reconstruct the Hearts tattoo?

[Imperial Dave]