Really Cool Mummy Reconstruction

[livius drusus]

Computer imaging has been used for a while now in reconstructing long-departed faces and bodies, but this new CT scanning system (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5880009/) is extraordinary. The detail it renders - down to the smallest facial lesions - virtually brings bones to life, and all of this without disturbing the wrappings and preservation.

Meet Harwa:

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040831/FigF.standard.jpg

I wonder if he lived fast? Cause he's got the dying young/leave a good looking corpse thing down.

[LadyShea]

See, now that is an amazing use of technology. How wonderful to be able to look upon the face of an ancient, rather than have to imagine it...it really, I dunno, makes our shared humanity so apparent and real. I can picture this man going about his day to day activities just like we all do, something I could never really do with a bandaged corpse. This is just fascinating stuff.

[viscousmemories]

I've often wondered how accurate such things are because, well, I just don't know enough about physiology to venture a guess. I mean how could they possibly know how big the guy's nose was, for example? Maybe they can't. It seems that while it's probably a fairly accurate portrayal, there is still some guesswork:

The researchers couldn't determine how fatty Harwa's face was — they just had to go with their best guess on that part of the reconstruction. But they could figure out how muscular it was, based on the muscle insertions visible on the virtual skull bones. The mummy's soft-tissue profile also helped with the reconstruction, particularly around the nose, mouth and ears.

Still really cool stuff, though. :)

[livius drusus]

Well, worst case scenario his face was thinner or fatter. Maybe he looked like that at 20 but by the time he died in his 40s he had Nixon jowls. Actually, now that I think about it, that could be even cooler! If I were on the design team, I'd totally do a Young Elvis/Vegas Elvis thing just to see.