WITH his untamed hair and bushy beard, he bears more than a passing resemblance to Game of Thrones’ Wildling leader Tormund Giantsbane.
But according to experts, this is the face of a Pictish man murdered 1,400 years ago.
Archaeologists discovered his remains in an “unusual” cave burial in the Black Isle. The body, found in a “remarkable state of preservation”, had been placed in a cross-legged position with large stones holding down the arms and legs.
The bones were sent to Dundee University, where a team led by world renowned forensic anthropologist Professor Sue Black found evidence of “horrific” injuries to his face and skull. Now the team has reconstructed his face as efforts to decode his death and learn more about his identity continue.
Black said: “He was a striking young man, but he met a very brutal end, suffering a minimum of five severe injuries to his head. The first impact was by a circular cross-section implement that broke his teeth on the right side. The second may have been the same implement, used like a fighting stick which broke his jaw on the left.
“The third resulted in fracturing to the back of his head as he fell from the blow to his jaw with a tremendous force possibly onto a hard object, perhaps stone. The fourth impact was intended to end his life as probably the same weapon was driven through his skull from one side and out the other as he lay on the ground.
“The fifth was not in keeping with the injuries caused in the other four where a hole, larger than that caused by the previous weapon, was made in the top of the skull.”
Radiocarbon testing show the man died sometime between 430-630AD and the cave where he was found may have been used for iron-smithing during the Pictish period. Further work is ongoing.
Excavation leader Steven Birch said: “Perhaps his murder was the result of interpersonal conflict, or was there a sacrificial element.”
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