University of Bradford archaeologists create images of medieval Scots

Thanks to cutting-edge 3D facial reconstruction, it is possible for us to see what three people who died in medieval Scotland actually looked like.

The 12th to 14th century Wigtownshire residents were buried at Whithorn Priory in Dumfries and Galloway.

The forensic method of facial approximation, reconstruction and depiction was applied to 3D scans of each skull by craniofacial anthropologist and forensic artist Dr Christopher Rynn. 

An image of a woman created by the experts (Image: University of Bradford)

Dr Shirley Curtis-Summers, of the University of Bradford’s School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, said: “My role as a bioarchaeologist is to examine archaeological skeletons to identify indicators of disease and trauma.

“I also analysis human bones and teeth for stable isotope analysis, which can inform us about the types of foods people in the past were consuming.

An image of Bishop Walter from Scotland created as part of the project (Image: University of Bradford)

“I was very excited to be invited by Julia Muir Watt (The Whithorn Trust) and Dr Adrian Maldonado (NMS) to be part of the Cold Case Whithorn team and be involved in the process.

"While we can never tell the full story of these medieval people, being able to reconstruct their diet, mobility and now their faces allows us to come face to face with them.”