It is an exceptional document that will delight fans of Egypt. nearly 3 300 years after the death of Ramses II, the face of one of Egypt’s most famous kings was reconstructed in early September thanks to a scientific team led by British forensic anthropologist Caroline Wilkinson, of Liverpool John Moores University, and Egyptian Sahar Saleem , paleoradiologist at Cairo University. Unpublished image revealed as part of a documentary broadcast in “Dare roots and wings”, the 28th September at 9:10 p.m. on France 3, and which franceinfo was able to consult in preview.
Discover the traits of Ramses II at the age of 45 years, and at the end of his life, namely 91 years, is a world first : never had his face been recreated so precisely. The combination of experienced researchers and advanced methods has made it possible to achieve this feat thanks, first of all, to the scanner of the skull of the mummy of Ramses II.
“When we look at a skull for the first time, we are initially looking for the most visible characteristic details, says Caroline Wilkinson in the documentary. For example, on Ramses II, there is a very wide nasal bone. It is, between the eyes, very high and very pronounced.” By studying every little detail of the skull, the anthropologist will succeed in reposition the pharaoh’s facial muscles. “The stronger a muscle is where it is anchored, the more its attachments will leave visible marks on the surface of the skull”, says Caroline Wilkinson.
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After this first step, 3D work is necessary in order to give texture, such as wrinkles, pores and skin imperfections. “This is not information that we get from the skullsays the anthropologist. So we are in the interpretation. But it’s based on the patterns of representation at that age.”
Thanks to precious indications delivered by the radiologist Sahar Saleem, the final stage can take place, namely the choice of the color of the pharaoh’s skin. Using software used in criminal investigations, Caroline Wilkinson achieves the feat of making the face of Ramses real II, after three months of hard work.
“He really is a very handsome king, rejoices Sahar Saleem. He is so Egyptian. He looks like those faces I meet every day in the streets of Cairo and Egypt.”
>> The documentary “Egypt, a French passion” presented as part of the program “Roots and Wings”, is broadcast on 28 September at 9:10 p.m. on France 3.