More than 500 years ago, an Inca girl was killed during a sacrifice ceremony on a mountaintop in Peru. Her frozen mummified remains were discovered in 1995 by archaeologists, who named her “Ice Maiden of the Incas” and “Juanita”. But until now, no one knew what the mysterious girl looked like.

To find out, Oscar Nilsson, a Swedish forensic pathologist, used a combination of computed tomography (CT) scans of the skeletal remains, skull measurements and DNA analysis to create a hyperrealistic reconstruction of Juanita’s face, Nilsson told LiveScience in an email. .

Nilsson worked with a group of Peruvian and Polish researchers to get a better idea of ​​who Juanita was and what her life as an Inca youth might have been like. To do this, they examined the details of his frozen body, which archaeologists found during an expedition to Ampato, one of the highest volcanoes in the Andes.

When investigators discovered his body, he was wearing a ceremonial tunic and headdress. Gold and silver figurines of women, woven bags, earthenware pots and seashells were scattered nearby. A CT scan of his skull revealed he had received a “hard blow” to the back of his head.

According to one article, the violent circumstances of his death led archaeologists to conclude that he likely died during a sacrificial ritual. discovery magazinePrinted by the Penn Museum in Philadelphia.

Johan Reinhard, the American archaeologist who found Juanita, wrote in his article, “When we lifted the package, I was momentarily stunned to see that we were looking at the face of an Inca mummy.”

These details about his discovery were crucial to Nilsson’s work.

“Understanding why it was found and placed on top of a mountain a long time ago and getting guidance on what to say about Incan culture helped me portray it,” Nilsson said. “Of course, understanding the context of a finding like Juanita’s is extremely helpful.”

To create an approximate estimate, Nilsson initiated a CT scan of his skull and body provided by archaeologists. He then transferred the data to a 3D printer to create a plastic replica.

“Before starting the facial reconstruction, I needed to know the person’s age, gender, ethnicity and weight,” Nilsson said. “These facts determine how thick the fabric will be at depth. … Juanita, a female from the Peruvian region, approximately 15 years old, with no signs of malnutrition, will determine the depth of the tissue.”

He then transferred these measurements to wooden stakes and used clay to create the details that define Juanita’s face. By examining and measuring the nasal cavity, eye sockets, and teeth, he was able to determine specific details of her nose, eyes, and mouth.

“In Juanita’s case, I wanted her to look both scared and proud, but also to have a heightened sense of presence,” Nilsson said. “Then I covered my face with silicone [використовуючи] real human hair [в яке] His DNA helped determine the color of his skin, “with a face pigmented to look like real skin.”

The final touch of the reconstruction was dressing him in clothes similar to those found on his mummy. The result is an incredibly realistic silicone bust of an Inca youth with high cheekbones, dark hair and eyes.

“I thought I would never know what his face looked like when he was alive,” Reinhard said. BBC. “Now, 28 years later, this has become a reality, thanks to Oskar Nilsson’s renovation.”

Once the anatomical structure was created, Nilsson worked on small details that helped bring him to life, including creating “tiny expressions” on his face from scans that “maintained scientific accuracy.” Source