Cutting-edge technology has brought to life ancient ancestors, including a Bronze Age woman who experienced lower back pain 4,000 years ago and an Iron Age Pictish man who led a laborious life 1,500 years ago. These individuals are part of a fascinating display in modern-day Perthshire, Scotland.
Researchers at Aberdeen University have utilized advanced techniques such as ancient DNA analysis, isotopes, and radiocarbon dating to study human remains from the museum’s collection. Through reconstruction forensics, they have uncovered intriguing details about four distinct individuals who resided in Perthshire over the past two millennia.
Among these figures is a man from the 14th century, believed to have been murdered in his late teens or early twenties, and a nun from the 16th century with a likely limp due to a previous foot injury sustained during her time at the medieval Cistercian nunnery of Elcho.
The digital portraits of these individuals exhibit remarkable realism, with their gaze following the observer as they move. Remarkably, if these individuals were alive today, they would blend in seamlessly with modern society, according to the researchers.
Professor Marc Oxenham, a bioarchaeology expert at the University of Aberdeen, noted that the Bronze Age woman lived approximately between 2200-2000 BC, stating that she would appear ordinary in contemporary attire. Similarly, the Pictish man, who lived around 400-600 AD, resembles a typical young man of today.
The Bronze Age woman, discovered at Lochlands farm in Perthshire, was around five feet tall and likely in her thirties or forties at the time of her death. Analysis of her remains indicated evidence of lower back pain and a healed forehead injury, possibly from an accident.
The Pictish man, unearthed during construction at Bridge of Tilt in the 1980s, showed signs of a life filled with strenuous agricultural labor, likely originating from the west coast or Ireland. His osteoarthritis suggests a history of hard work on farmland, a lifestyle that contrasts with his final years in Perthshire.
Another intriguing discovery was the possible murder victim found in a car park at Horsecross in Perth. Radiocarbon dating places his existence between 1185-1290 AD, with evidence of a violent death marked by severe rib injuries before being hastily buried in a pit.
The facial reconstructions of these ancient individuals, crafted by expert Chris Rynn, aim to establish a connection between the past and present, making their stories more relatable to contemporary audiences. These portraits will be permanently exhibited alongside the Stone of Destiny in the new museum starting from March 30th.