Discover the lifelike digital facial reconstructions of ancient skulls from Perth and Kinross, created in collaboration with Dr. Chris Rynn and the University of Aberdeen. Visitors can engage interactively with Bronze Age to medieval period remains, shedding light on the lives of Perth’s ancient residents.
The recently opened Perth Museum and Art Gallery in Scotland features lifelike digital facial reconstructions from ancient skulls discovered in the Perth and Kinross region. These reconstructions, displayed permanently since March 30, are derived from remains spanning the Bronze Age to the medieval period.
The museum collaborated with Dr. Chris Rynn, a craniofacial anthropologist and forensic artist, and researchers from the University of Aberdeen. Using skulls, such as that of a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age woman and an Iron Age man from AD 500, Rynn employed forensic techniques to digitally model their faces. The exhibit allows visitors to engage interactively, seeing the entire process from skull analysis to final facial reconstruction.
One of the skulls belonged to a Bronze Age woman discovered in 1962, revealing joint degeneration and blunt force trauma likely caused by an accidental head bump before death. Another skull, belonging to a sixth-century Iron Age man, showed signs of a tough agricultural life. Additionally, the skeleton of a young medieval man from the 14th century, potentially a murder victim, was unearthed with blunt force injuries and rib fractures.
The reconstructions aim to humanize the historical narrative of Perth, offering insights into the lives and connections of its ancient inhabitants. Visitors can also digitally manipulate the reconstructed faces, enhancing their engagement with Scotland’s past.
