Craniofacial reconstruction in mummy studies

In forensic and anthropological sciences, craniofacial reconstruction (CFR) is used to reconstruct the facial appearance based on the analysis of skull morphology. Scientists or practitioners can use this technique to recreate the faces of individuals whose remains are discovered at archaeological sites. Soft facial tissues often remain on mummified remains, and researchers tend to assume that the mummified face is very similar to that of the individual when he/she was alive. However, the thickness and shape of subcutaneous fat and muscles change significantly during the mummification process. CFR techniques have been deployed in mummy studies to determine how the mummified individual appeared when alive. However, the accuracy of CFR usually cannot be proven due to the absence of any visual depiction of the mummified individual. In this study, the faces of ancient and medieval mummified individuals were reconstructed using computerized tomography (CT) skull models. Three-dimensional computerized modeling techniques were used to estimate CFR accuracy. Based on discrepancies in facial tissue depth, it was possible to determine whether the CFR satisfactorily emulated the actual facial appearance. CFR techniques used in conjunction with other archaeological methods may be useful for reconstructing the faces of historically significant individuals.