Using skeletal remains, geographic locations, DNA results, and portraits, forensic scientists have been able to figure out what some of the coolest historical figures actually looked. Some of these are super surprising!
Nefertiti
Nefertiti has one of the most recognizable faces and looks out of all of the famous rulers. This bust was created in 1345 BC in Amarna, Egypt.
Crazy 3-D Rendering
In order to get this 3-D scan, scientists used a mummy who is known as “The Younger Lady,” and many people believe it’s the mummy of Nefertiti. Looks pretty legit to me!
Maximilien Robespierre
This French politician played an integral part during the French Revolution. He was an advocate for the abolition of celibacy, abolition of slavery, religious tolerance, and other very modern ways of thinking.
The Face of ‘Terror’
We were thinking that this 3-D rendering did him dirty but… That’s probably not the case. After is “Reign of Terror” and execution, his head was preserved and a death mask was made. So, this is very likely exactly what he looked like.
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was one of the most prominent Roman Emporers and was hugely responsible for the expansion of the Roman empire. His bust probably one of the most common that you’ll see.
A More Accurate Bust
This 3-D model of Caesar’s head is located at the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. They used one of his marble portraits and other busts to try and figure out what he really looked like.
William Shakespeare
Who doesn’t love a good Shakespeare play? Even though his actual death mask has been recovered and preserved, many debate on what he really looked like…
The True Shakespeare
Back in 2010, Dr. Carolin Wilkinson of Dundee University used the death mask to create a computer rendering of Shakespeare. Looks pretty accurate from all of his portraits, right?
Queen Elizabeth I
Queen Elizabeth I ruled England and Ireland from 1558 until 1603. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She was considered an illegitimate child, but that didn’t stop her.
An Accurate Representation
This isn’t your regular face mold… It’s animatronic. Why? Because they could.
King Tut
King Tutankhamun ruled Egypt from 1332 to 1323 BC. He was only ten years old when he took the throne. His tomb was found in 1922 and they were able to figure out what he really looked like.
He Was Very Ill
After testing his DNA, they were able to figure out that he had a ton of health problems. He had a bone disorder and had an infected, broken leg when he died. He also had a club foot and was obviously a victim of interbreeding. His parents were siblings.
Emperor Nero
Emporer Nero was the last Roman Emporer of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. During his reign, he raised taxes to fund extra public and private works for his own empire. He definitely wasn’t the most favorable Emporer…
He’s Got That Kind of Face
Honestly, he wasn’t a great Emporer, but it was probably even harder to like him just from that face. He was basically a murderous and selfish dictator with a gross chin strap.
Robert The Bruce
Robert the Bruce, aka Robert I, was the King of Scotland from 1306 to 1329. There aren’t any formal portraits of him and only some loose drawings. Students at the University of Glasgow decided to figure out what he really looked like.
Using His Skull
The students were able to use casts of what was believed to be Robert’s skull and used technology to create this rendering. Before, people just used their memory or word of mouth to depict him in art.
Ancient Druid Woman
This one’s a bit different. A druid is a Celtic word depicting a person involved in religion or magic. Scientists found the remains of this 2000-year-old skull that many believe is a druid.
Here’s Hilda
“Hilda was a fascinating character to recreate,” Karen Fleming, forensic student, said in a statement. “It’s clear from the skull she was toothless before she died, which isn’t too surprising considering the diet of folk back then but it was impressive how long she lived.
Cleopatra
Cleopatra is one of the most popular and famous rulers in history. She ruled Egypt for over 30 years after her father passed away when she was 18. She and her brother, Ptolemy XIII, ruled together until he overran her. Julius Caesar helped her regain the throne, and she ruled with her other younger brother, Ptolemy XIV.
The Queen Herself
Cleopatra was regarded as an intelligent woman and strong ruler, but she was also known for her beauty. She was smart and used that to her advantage.
Jesus
Some researchers tasked themselves with figuring out what Jesus looked like. In order to find out, they basically just went off of his geographical locations.
Looks A Bit Different
Since there are no skeletal remains or any other DNA available to really figure it out, but this was their best shot! British scientists and Isreali archeologists used the same technology used to solve crimes.
George Washington
All American’s know that George Washington was the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797. His face is on the one-dollar bill, but is that really what he looked like?
His True Face
Using painted portraits to render his face, researchers were able to come up with this photo! It looks pretty real to us.
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots became Queen was just six days old. Her father passed away right after she was born. Her mother sent her to France so she could grow up in a French court in order to learn how to rule. She returned to rule in 1559.
Pretty Accurate!
Turns out, this rendering seems pretty accurate! Professor Caroline Wilkinson of Dundee University did some research and used tons of paintings, drawings, and biographical information to create this.
Richard III
Richard III was the King of England for only two years before he sabotaged himself. He was known as a tyrant.
His Look
In a bizarre twist of fate, they were able to recreate his face using his actual remains. They found his body under a parking lot and exhumed it.
Meritamum
Meritamun was the wife of Pharaoh Ramesses the Great. She was buried in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt.
Interesting Facts about Meritamun
Judging by her skull, she was between 18-25. Researchers also believe she had to have had a sweet tooth due to the tooth decay that they found!
Lord of Sipan
The Lord of Sipan was found in 1987 in Peru. He was buried with tons of treasures and very elaborate decorations.
A True Lord
When his body was found and exhumed, the team found out that his skull had been crushed into 96 different pieces. Yikes. They were able to reconstruct it and then use their technology to create this image of what he probably looked like.
Saint Anthony
Saint Anthony was born in 1195. His body was exhumed 30 years after his death and only his jawbone and tongue were preserved.
It Was Tricky…
Somehow, even with the little forensic evidence that they had, they were able to create this stellar image!
King Henry IV
King Henry IV was one of the more “likable” kings. He was even known as “Good King Henry.” During his lifetime, he went through 12 different assassination attempts.
They Got Him
Unfortunately, he was eventually assassinated. Many believe that his tolerance for other religions is what really did him in.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Many people can agree that Bach is one of the best composures to have lived. Born in 1685, he was celebrated throughout his musical career.
Could This Really Be Accurate?
When Bach died, he was buried in an unmarked grave. After he had been dead for 150 years, a church ended up finding what they thought was his skull. That’s what was used to make these images. Looks pretty spot on!
Simón BolÃvar
BolÃvar was a Venezuelan military leader who was mostly known in his part in the revolution against the Spanish Empire. He was known as “El Libertador,” which translates to “The Liberator.”
Took A Long Time…
It took a very long time, but a forensic team was able to figure out what he looked like. After going through tons of historical documents, this is what they came up with!
Nicolaus Copernicus
This is the guy who figured out that the Earth is not the center of the universe. Copernicus was an extremely smart scientist who contributed a lot to scientific studies even today!
His Actual Face
Obviously, in the 15th century, photography didn’t exist. The people who rendered these images had to go off of centuries-old portraits and sketches of him.
The Lady of Cao
A mummy of a woman was unearthed in 2005 in Peru. The group who found her deemed her as the Lady of Cao. They dated her body to around the year 400.
Mysterious Woman
Lady of Cao can be found in a museum in Peru. Scientists are still trying to figure out who she was and what her purpose was in the community that she lived in. Some think that she could have been a human sacrifice…
St. Nicholas
St. Nicholas is a Christian Saint who was originally a Bishop from Turkey. He was given sainthood after he passed away since he was known for being extremely giving and caring to others while he was alive.
Santa?
Here’s what they believe Old St. Nick looked like. Looks pretty similar to the Santa that we know now!
Giovanni Battista Sidotti
Born in 1668, Giovanni Battista Sidotti became an Apostolic missionary soon into adulthood. He tried to spread Christianity to Japan, who ended up capturing him and keeping him in prison until 1714.
They Found His Remains
In 2014, his body was discovered during an excavation project. His skull was somewhat damaged, but they were still able to render this image.
The Mycenean “Griffin Warrior”
A male skeleton was found in a tomb back in 2015. His remains were found with around 14,000 weapons and jewelry. The scientists believe that he was a warrior or a priest.
His Identity
Along with this facial rendering, the scientists also believe that he was around 5’2″, which was tall back then! He was also surrounded by tons of combs, which leads them to believe he had the long hair of a warrior.
Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri is an extremely influential and popular Italian poet from the 14th century.
Using His Skull
Using measurements taken from his skull, they were able to figure out this CGI rendering. It’s quite similar to his paintings, but there are a few distinctive differences.
Medieval Woman
Naturally, scientists would love to know what people truly looked like hundreds of years ago. A group of forensic scientists came across the remains of a woman in a communal grave, so they decided to reconstruct her face…
Strikingly Cool
Obviously, they took some liberties on the hair, but they were pleased with the results.
Beachy Head Lady
This skeleton of a woman was assumed to have been European Roman, but then they looked closer… They figured out that she was a sub-Saharan African living in the Eastbourne area. This meant her story was probably a long one…
Her Face
Using the skeletal remains, they were able to construct what they believe is her face. Her teeth and bones were in great condition. They believe that she was born in Europe, but could have been taken from Africa.
Stonehenge Man
Why does this guy look like Chris Hemsworth? This skeleton was found in 1863 near Stonehenge. His body resides at the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. People believe that he was born 500 years before Stonehenge was created.
Incredible Find
Finding a preserved skeleton from the Neolithic area is extremely rare. They believe that he died between 3630 and 3360 BC.
Gristhorpe Man
This 4,000-year-old skeleton is known as the Gristhrope Man. It was found in 1834 in a makeshift grave. He was wrapped in animal skin when he was buried.
What He Looked Like
Scientists were able to figure out what he probably looked like. He was believed to be in his early 60s when he died.