Facial Reconstruction of Bronze Age Woman from 3,700-Year-Old Skull Brings Her Story Back to Life

Although she has been dead for over 3,700 years, a woman known as ‘Ava’ became the muse for a modern artist. By combining her ancient remains with modern software and imaging techniques, the appearance of the mysterious Bronze Age woman has been brought to light.

Specifically, the work Ava inspired is a facial reconstruction and the artist who recreated her appearance is a forensic artist specializing in this area. According to Daily Mail, Hew Morrison created the reconstruction by using a variety of techniques. First, he used an anthropological/pathological assessment of Ava’s skull to better determine her age and ancestry.

Next, Morrison said that he “implemented a formula that was pioneered by the American Anthropologist Wilton M Krogman in his 1962 book ‘The Human Skeleton in Forensic Medicine,’” to create the shape of Ava’s lower jaw, which was missing.

Hew Morrison studying the skull of ‘Ava’. (Maya Hoole)