Ok-Farmer-2695 t1_ir3rcc9 wrote on October 5, 2022 at 2:51 AM

Reply to comment by Amythyst34 in See lifelike facial reconstructions of a medieval Scottish woman, priest and bishop by unheated1

Thanks for the link. It was interesting, and it says the reconstructions are just approximations.

> Markers indicate the depths of tissue to be added to the skull (a cast in this case). Studies over the past century of males and females of different ancestral groups determine the measures of these depths.

> The finished product only approximates actual appearance because the cranium does not reflect soft-tissue details (eye, hair, and skin color; facial hair; the shape of the lips; or how much fat tissue covers the bone). Yet a facial reconstruction can put a name on an unidentified body in a modern forensic case.

How they go from approximation to identifying bodies goes unexplained, but I’d guess they use other circumstantial data, like “Hey a Caucasian male hiker in his 20s went missing in this area 50 years ago and this fits the bill.”

Amythyst34 t1_ir3t0yr wrote on October 5, 2022 at 3:05 AM

I've seen some documentaries that show super close reconstructions, but I'm sure those are the exception and not the rule. "Not an exact science," a the saying goes. But even if it brings closure to only a few families, I think it's a worthwhile endeavor. Plus, it will only get better over time as those who do it learn and utilize technology.

Tiny_Rat t1_ir4jfb7 wrote on October 5, 2022 at 8:12 AM

The approximation is often close enough that friends or family can recognize the deceased. It might not look exactly like them, but can be close enough to significantly narrow down the search for their identity.