Scientists recreate faces of people who lived centuries ago, and it's not something we're used textbooks

When we want to know how to look people in the past — not only of an era before photography, but in prehistoric times, — there are only vague pictures of skeletons and occasionally portraits of artists who did not know the techniques of painting, so these paintings look a bit childish.

Many artists, with descriptions of contemporaries, tried to reproduce the image of a particular historical figure on the canvas, but they can hardly be considered reliable. We come to the aid of the science that has reached such heights that can recreate, for example, the facial features of a man who lived in the middle Ages the surviving remains. And thanks to this we learn that the images in textbooks at odds with reality.

Henry IV, king of France

Ruled France from 1589 to 1610, was murdered by a Catholic fanatic, françois Ravaillac. He was nicknamed Henry the Great, because he cared about the welfare of his subjects. Forensic facial reconstruction in 3D recreated on the basis of his skull.

The process of creating.

Ava

Ava died around 3700 years ago, in the bronze age. Her remains were found in an unusual burial for the time — grave was dug in the solid rock, and not in the ground, which was typical for other burials of the period. Scientists have suggested that the woman played an important role in society.

500-year-old resident of Dublin

In 2014, archaeologists discovered the remains of a man who died about 500 years ago. He was one of four people who have skeletons which were the signs of chronic malnutrition, and heavy physical labor. This suggests that the dead belonged to poor people. One of the skeletons are preserved skull, which had a reconstruction.

Johann Sebastian Bach

One of the greatest composers of all times and peoples lived and worked in the XVII-XVIII centuries. Scottish anthropologist Caroline Wilkinson measured the facial bones of Bach and recreated the face of a composer as it was meant to be.

The daughter of Pharaoh Ramesses II and his favorite wife Nefertari died about 2000 years ago. Scientists from the University of Melbourne the skull determined that she was between 18 and 25 years old, her height was about 162 centimeters, a thin Constitution. The cause of death could not be determined because the rest of the body of the mummy was never found.

Being one of the most brilliant mathematicians and astronomers of the Renaissance, Copernicus created a model of the Universe, the center of which was the Sun, not the Earth. Died at the age of 70 years.

DNA tests showed that the mummy known as "Young lady", belonged to the sister of Akhenaten and mother of Tutankhamun. Although her identity is still under debate, many believe this is Queen Nefertiti. Palaeobotanica Elizabeth Danis recreated a bust of the Egyptian Queen.

Was a French politician and lawyer known for its role during the French revolution and the reign of terror. Robespierre was executed at the guillotine on 28 July 1794 at the age of 36 years.

Scientists used his death mask and surviving records of the medical history of a revolutionary, to reconstruct his face, and to determine which disease he suffered.

His contemporaries wrote about the problems with vision, every night Robespierre was bleeding from the nose, also recorded jaundice ("yellow skin and eyes"), asthenia ("always tired"), non-healing leg ulcers and frequent diseases of the skin, scars from smallpox. Historians believe that he was suffering from sarcoma. Also he was constantly twitching mouth and eyes. Symptoms worsened by 1794. The day before the execution of Robespierre was shot in the jaw under mysterious circumstances.

14-year-old girl had been eaten by her neighbors in the XVII century in Jamestown, the first English settlement in the New world. In 2012, her mutilated skull and severed leg bone were found among the remains of cattle in the basement. Ously Douglas (Douglas Owsley), chief forensic anthropologist of the National Museum of natural history studied the bones of the girl and determined that the cuts and marks on them left after a clumsy attempt to separate the meat and the brain. The first settlers suffered from hunger in Jamestown in the winter of 1609-1610 years.

Catholic priest Anthony of Padua was born in 1195 in a noble family in Lisbon. Died at the age of 35 years in Padua, Italy. His contemporaries noted his boundless devotion and love for the poor and sick and preaching. Anthony became one of the most quickly canonized by the people in Church history. In 2014, a group of researchers of University of Saint Anthony recreated his face using the skull of the Saint.

Rule Scotland from 1542 to 1567 and inherited the throne when she was six days old. 18 years Maria was detained on the orders of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1586, was executed on charges of conspiring against the English Queen. She was 44 years. Scientists from the University of Dundee have collected all the available portraits of Mary Stuart and recreated her face as she had to look in the period of his reign.

Was king of England from 1483 to 1485. Was a significant figure in the War of oz and at the battle of Bosworth, the last decisive battle between the Lancaster and York, during which he died. At the time of death Richard was 32 years old. His remains were lost for five centuries and only discovered in 2012. The skeleton found traces of severe scoliosis, 11 injuries, nine of which are on the skull.

Arish lived in Carthage (modern Tunisia) 2500 years ago. At the time of his death he was between 19 and 24 years. Using the methods of criminology and dermatoplasty scientists have managed to recreate as Arish looked in life.

Famous Scottish poet died at the age of 37 years in Dumfries. The researchers used the skull of burns to create a 3D reproduction of the face of the poet.

King of Scotland rules from 1306 until his death in 1329, was one of the most famous warriors of his time. To this day Robert the Bruce is considered a national hero in Scotland, because it liberated the country from English rule.