Colombian Team Reveals Faces of Pre-Hispanic Ancestors Using Digital Reconstruction
A team from the National University of Colombia has digitally reconstructed the faces of four pre-Hispanic Colombians, offering a glimpse into the past. The project, led by Jessica Liu, used advanced technology to remove death masks and recreate facial features, revealing possible appearances of individuals from the Colombian Andes between 1216 and 1797.
The mummies, comprising a child aged 6 to 7, a female in her 60s, and two young adult males, were originally buried with death masks made of resin, clay, wax, and maize. These masks, adorned with ornamental beads around the eyes, were carefully removed using CT scanning and virtual sculpting techniques, preserving the integrity of the mummies.
The research group reconstructed muscles, soft tissue, and fat onto the unmasked skulls, approximating facial features based on modern tissue depth data. Careful adjustments were made for the child and female to account for age and gender differences. The team acknowledges that the final digital portraits are not exact replicas due to unknown details such as skin tone, scarring, tattoos, and precise facial features. The reconstructions reflect the physical traits typical of the Eastern Cordillera region, with neutral expressions to avoid speculative interpretations.
The reconstructed faces, published in the university's scientific journals, provide valuable insights into pre-Hispanic Colombian cultural practices, particularly the use of highly stylized death masks. While these reconstructions show 'what they could have looked like' rather than 'this is what they looked like', they offer a fascinating window into the past, helping us understand and appreciate the diversity of our ancestors.
Read also:
- Trump's SNAP reductions and New York City Council's grocery delivery legislation: Problems for city residents highlighted
- Reducing dental expenses for elderlies in Sweden: Over 50% cut in charges for pensioners by the government
- Forty-year-old diet: A list of meal choices to savor
- Exiled Life's Conundrum: A Blend of Liberation, Disillusionment, and Distress
