THE face of a 17th-century Scottish prisoner of war who died after being captured by Cromwell’s troops has been revealed using the latest digital technology.
The soldier was among 3000 who were marched south in 1650 following the short but bloody Battle of Dunbar to the then abandoned Durham Cathedral.
In 2013, between 17 and 28 skeletons were found in a mass grave close to the cathedral, and Durham University experts carried out extensive research to identify who they were.
Archaeologists have collaborated with Liverpool John Moores University’s Face Lab specialists – who used sophisticated software to create an digital image of one of the soldiers.
They took parts of the skull of one of the soldiers, a man aged 18-25 known as Skeleton 22, carefully rebuilt them and made a scan to work from to rebuild his face.
Professor Caroline Wilkinson of Face Lab said: “Our collaboration with Durham University enabled us to draw on scans and data to create the most accurate and lifelike image possible to enable a true glimpse into the past of this Scottish soldier and how his life had been lived.”
Bone testing revealed Skeleton 22 suffered periods of poor nutrition growing up in south-west Scotland.
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