These Recreations Of Historical Figures Will Make You See Them In A New Light

What King Tut Really Looked Like

After conducting DNA studies on the mummy, scientists learned just how terrible the health of the pharaoh was. He was tall, frail, and suffering from malaria, bone disorder, an infected broken leg, and a club foot. The last one was the result of inbreeding in the family. These also explained why he was always shown sitting down!

What King Tut Really Looked Like

Emperor Nero

At the age of 17, Nero took on the title of the Roman Emperor during the Julio-Claudian dynasty. In the fifth year he held the title, he ordered the death of his mother and played a more active role in politics. A known musician, poet, actor, and charioteer, people undermined his authority. He was hated by the middle and upper classes after raising taxes to fund the public and private works of the empire.

Emperor Nero

What Nero Really Looked Like

Earlier this year, Spanish artists created a realistic rendering of Nero using descriptions, busts, and drawings of the Roman Emperor. They captured his attributes with precision, from the chinstrap to the smirk. A fire consumed Rome in 64 A.D. What did Nero do? He dressed up, went to the roof, and sang from there! Before he could be executed, he killed himself after saying, “What an artist dies in me!”

What Nero Really Looked Like

Nefertiti

Nefertiti was the Great Royal of Akhenaten. This limestone bust of her was covered in stucco and thought to be the work of Thutmose of Amarna, Egypt. Believed to be made in 1345 B.C., it was found in the workshop of the artist in 1912. The sculpture showed that the Egyptian queen had a beautiful and defined face. Was this what she actually looked like?

Nefertiti

What Nefertiti Really Looked Like

In 2012, Expedition Unknown digitally mapped the face of “The Younger Lady” with the help of 3D imaging technology. The remains are believed to belong to Nefertiti. After they scanned the face, it took Elisabeth Daynes 500 hours to recreate this face, which she based on historical images of Nefertiti. After seeing the result, many people agree that it was Nefertiti.

What Nefertiti Really Looked Like

Robert The Bruce

Robert the Bruce or Robert I ruled independent Scotland from 1306 to 1329. He helped earn Scottish independence after winning a guerrilla war against England. He won the Battle of Bannockburn in June 1314. When Edward II refused to grant them independence, Scottish people, barons, and earls wrote to the pope to support the claim that Robert I had the rights to the throne.

Robert The Bruce

Julius Caesar

Roman politician and war general Julius Caesar was the person responsible for the extent of the Roman Empire expansion. He was the one to cross the Rhine River and the English Channel to invade Britain. He stood his ground and, under arms, reentered Rome through Gaul. It led to a civil war. There were lots of sculptures of him, which helped with the recreation of this important historical figure.

Julius Caesar

What Julius Caesar Really Looked Like

This lifelike bust of Julius Caesar is located in the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. They scanned a marble portrait of him with the use of 3D technology. This served as the basis of the 3D reconstruction. After he won the Roman civil war, he went on to become a dictator and started various social and governmental reforms. Among other things, he granted citizenship to those living in the outermost regions of the empire. The Senate did not like these reforms, so they killed him in 44 B.C.

What Julius Caesar Really Looked Like

Cleopatra

Cleopatra reigned over Egypt for nearly three decades. She was 18 years old when she ascended the throne with her young brother Ptolemy XIII. In 49 B.C., his advisers ran her out of the country. However, she managed to get reinstated with her other brother Ptolemy XIV with the aid of Julius Caesar. She later gave birth to a son called Ptolemy Caesar, believed to be the son of the Roman dictator. Ptolemy XIV died not long after the assassination of Julius Caesar, so she ruled Egypt with Ptolemy Caesar.

Cleopatra

What Cleopatra Really Looked Like

Did you know that Cleopatra was a well-educated woman who spoke several languages? This was one of the reasons she became the dominant ruler as the co-regent. On top of that, she was an exotic beauty skilled at the art of seduction. She formed romantic relations and alliances with other leaders. 3D artists relied on portraitures and sculptures to show what she looked like. The prominent nose and masculine features might seem shocking to you if you expected her to look like Elizabeth Taylor.

What Cleopatra Really Looked Like

Queen Elizabeth I

From 1558 to 1603, Queen Elizabeth I was the ruler of England and Ireland. She was born to King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. After the annulment of their marriage, Elizabeth became illegitimate. It took a couple of years before she finally took over the throne. There were plenty of paintings that showed what she looked like. Mat Collishaw, however, decided to take matters into his own hands in 2018.

Queen Elizabeth I

What Queen Elizabeth I Really Looked Like

The end result of the project was this hyper-realistic animatronic mask that had a mouth that opens and eyes that followed you around. A mirror is connected to this mask, which is on display at the Queen’s House. Right across it is the Armada portrait that depicts Elizabeth at her prime even though she was 55 during the time it was painted. The mask shows what the Virgin Queen looked like back then. Interestingly, it is not that different from the portraits!

What Queen Elizabeth I Really Looked Like

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is always the topic of debate among scholars and historians. However, many of them agree that the Martin Droeshout engraving is an accurate depiction of the playwright. He had facial hair even though he was balding. In 1975, Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel found his death mask in London. In those days, they created death masks out of plaster or wax by pouring the material on the face of the dead person.

William Shakespeare

What William Shakespeare Really Looked Like

In 2010, Dr. Caroline Wilkinson used this death mask to create a rendering of his facial attributes. She used 3D imaging to create this rendering of the Bard. Many people say that it looks just like the other interpretations, although you cannot see his whole head here. He died on April 23, 1616 at 52 years old.

What William Shakespeare Really Looked Like

George Washington

George Washington was the first US President. He held the position from 1789 to 1797. After winning the War for Independence, he was elected into power as the president of the 1787 Constitutional Convention. He was an integral figure in the establishment of the federal government. This Founding Father is revered in the country, and his face is literally everywhere! Is that really what he looks like?

George Washington

What George Washington Really Looked Like

Researchers looked at portraits to create this computer-generated photo of Washington. It seems like the paintings are authentic. This rendering is so realistic that it shows his full head of hair and five o’clock shadow. The Founding Father died on December 14, 1799 at the age of 67.

What George Washington Really Looked Like

Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary Stuart is also known as Mary, Queen of Scots. She was in power from 1542 until 1567. She ascended the throne at only six days old as her father died not long after her birth. She was sent to France to grow up in the French court. In 1559, she came back to Scotland. Is this painting an accurate portrayal of her?

Mary, Queen of Scots

What The Queen Of Scots Really Looked Like

Dr. Caroline Wilkinson relied on paintings and drawings to create this 3D rendering of Mary, Queen of Scots. Aside from that, she also used biographical information to avoid stylized renditions. We do not think that it looks very different from the classic paintings, although there are key differences. If you ask us, her nose is the feature that remained consistent.

What The Queen Of Scots Really Looked Like

Richard III

King Richard III was only the ruler of England for two years. However, his reputation has only gotten less honorable as more time goes by. Shakespeare branded him a tyrant in a play, and the Tudors replaced him in the end. During the Battle of Bosworth Field, he led a charge into the Tudor army. It was a quick defeat for him, unfortunately.

Richard III

What Richard III Really Looked Like

In 2012, they managed to recreate this Richard III photo. His body had been lost after his death, but researchers managed to track it down to an underground parking lot in 2012. They found the body and exhumed it. Dundee University researchers helped make this image to see what he would have looked like in the past. The researchers used historical records as there are no realistic paintings of him.

What Richard III Really Looked Like

Meritamun

Meritamun, in English, means “beloved of the god Amun”. University of Melbourne researchers introduced the mean after going through the archives and finding her skull. She came from ancient Egypt, so they did not know how her skull got there. At any rate, she was one of the Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses. Records say she was buried in the Valley of the Queens in Egypt.

Meritamun

What Meritamun Really Looked Like

They did not have a lot of information on her since the skull was the only thing they had. Regardless, they found more stuff about her. They learned that she was around 18 to 25 years old at the time of her death, although the cause of death is still unknown. They also learned that she liked sweets because she had tooth decay. This is spot on because Alexander III brought it to Egypt when she was alive.

What Meritamun Really Looked Like

Saint Anthony

Saint Anthony was born in 1195 and died at only 36 years old. Despite this, he made a pretty big impact when he was still alive. He allegedly had the ability to heal the sick! The Catholic Church was fond enough of him to canonize him very quickly. The process was actually the second-fastest in all of history! They declared him the saint of lost things only one year after his death.

Saint Anthony

What Saint Anthony Really Looked Like

They said that kids cried and bells sounded on their own when he died. They exhumed his body three decades later, although the researchers only got his jawbone and tongue for guidance. The project was a joint effort between the University of Sao Paolo and the University of St. Anthony of Padua.

What Saint Anthony Really Looked Like

King Henry IV

King Henry IV, also called “Henry the Great” or “Good King Henry”, became the King of Navarre when he was 19 years old. Two months after that, he got married. The city was flooded by protestants as they celebrated, but it soon became the “St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.” He barely survived and served in the French Court.

King Henry IV

What King Henry IV Really Looked Like

Records say he survived 12 attempts on his life! Researchers chose him for the recreation project since they admired his religious tolerance. Philippe Froesch and Philippe Charlier worked on this recreation. The Good King failed to survive the 13th attempt on his life. In 1610, he was stabbed by a Catholic man.

What King Henry IV Really Looked Like

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685. He went on to become one of the greatest musicians in all of history. He was an excellent composer who started out as a musical prodigy on the organ. However, he made his mark on his history by composing music for the church. Many will tell you that there are very few composers who have achieved what he has.

Johann Sebastian Bach

What Bach Really Looked Like

Dr. Caroline Wilkinson recreated Bach with the use of a skull cast. This brilliant composer was buried in an unmarked grave for a long time! It was only a century and a half later that they found his body after the church where he was buried underwent renovations. They found a skull that was believed to be his. That was what they used to recreate his image in the photo below.

What Bach Really Looked Like

Simón Bolívar

Simon Bolivar is a Venezuelan military leader who was important during the revolution against the Spanish empire. Born into wealthy, he went to Spain to study and joined the resistance there. After France invaded Spain, they started calling him “El Libertador” or The Liberator. He died of tuberculosis.

Simón Bolívar

What Simón Bolívar Really Looked Like

They were right when they said that looks can be deceiving. You might think this is a real photo, but it is only a recreation! With help from the Venezuelan government, a forensic imagery team went through historical documents for a year. They were able to make this amazing rendering of Simon Bolivar!

What Simón Bolívar Really Looked Like

Nicolaus Copernicus

In the past, people thought that the Earth was the center of the universe. It was Nicolaus Copernicus who learned the truth! He was born in Poland in 1473 and created the sun-centered solar system model that we now know. He traveled all over Europe during his life. What did he look like when he was alive?

Nicolaus Copernicus

What Nicolaus Copernicus Really Looked Like

Old renditions of him do not do him justice. They often show him as a hollowed and gaunt man. With the help of modern technology, we finally get to see a more accurate depiction of him. Despite everything, however, we think he still looks rather miserable. Maybe this is common among geniuses!

What Nicolaus Copernicus Really Looked Like

The Lady of Cao

Researchers had been working on the El Brujo region in Peru even before 1990. However, they only found the Lady of Cao in 2005. Believed to have died in 400, she wore simple clothes. Experts assume that she was Moche. They believe she was aristocratic because she was buried with different artifacts.

The Lady of Cao

What The Lady Of Cao Really Looked Like

Not long after her discovery, they took the remains to an El Brujo museum to store her in a climate-controlled room. She can be viewed through a looking glass. They brought her back with this rendering, but her role in society remains unknown. They think she was in her late twenties when she died. Some believe that she was a human sacrifice.

What The Lady Of Cao Really Looked Like

St. Nicholas

Also called St. Nicholas, St. Nikolaos of Myra was a 4th century Christian saint. He was a Bishop from Turkey who was known for his caring and generous behavior. He reportedly left presents in the shoes of children who left them outside. This was how the holiday tradition began. He was a real person, although the story has definitely evolved over the centuries.

St. Nicholas

What St. Nicholas Really Looked Like

Better known as Santa Claus, he looked vastly different from the man that comes to mind. He was Turkish, so he likely had a darker complexion and Middle Eastern features. People from the West often assume that historical figures looked just like they do. As you can see, this is not true at all!

What St. Nicholas Really Looked Like

Giovanni Battista Sidotti

Apostolic missionary Giovanni Battista Sidotti was born in 1668. He was sent to Japan to spread Christianity there. It was a very dangerous mission in those days. He disguised himself as a samurai but failed to convince them. They captured him and locked him up until his death in 1714. Many people think of him as “the last missionary”.

Giovanni Battista Sidotti

What Giovanni Battista Sidotti Really Looked Like

His remains were discovered relatively intact when compared to other historical figures. In 2014, they found his body during a 2 million-yen excavation project. His remains made it possible to work on this recreation of him. The skull was damaged but not enough to deter the forensic anthropologists working on the project.

What Giovanni Battista Sidotti Really Looked Like

The Mycenean “Griffin Warrior”

In 2015, they excavated a tomb site that dated back to the Bronze Age. The tomb, believed to come from 1450 BC, contained an intact male skeleton. The archaeologists also found 14,000 objects, things from jewelry to weapons. They also saw an engraving that gave them ideas about this man. There is a good chance that he was either a priest or a warrior.

The Mycenean “Griffin Warrior”

What The Mycenean “Griffin Warrior” Might Have Looked Like

Based on his remains, this man was relatively tall at five foot five inches. On top of that, they found combs that led them to the assumption that this Griffin Warrior had long hair. Tobias Houlton and Lynne Schepartz, physical anthropologists from the University of the Witwatersrand, used his skull to come up with this digital interpretation. They believed he had a strong jaw and close-set eyes.

What The Mycenean “Griffin Warrior” Might Have Looked Like

Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri was the man who wrote The Divine Comedy. During the late Middle Ages, he was considered to be one of the most influential poets in Italy. His writings described Hell and Heaven, and some of the things he wrote are now common Christian establishments. Apart from his poetry, he was a respected philosopher whose ideas continue to be relevant. He died in 1321 at the age of 56.

Dante Alighieri

What Dante Alighieri Really Looked Like

There are many portraits of him, and they mostly agree on what he looked like. The general consensus seems to be that he had a stern face and an aquiline nose. This helped the team work on this CGI rendering of the author. Aside from that, they used measurements of his skull. Compared to portraits of him, the rendering showed that he had bigger eyes, a rounded jaw, and a softer facial expression.

What Dante Alighieri Really Looked Like

Maximilien Robespierre

Maximilien Robespierre is the most prominent figure of the French Revolution. The lawyer and politician supported causes like religious tolerance, the abolition of slavery, the abolition of celibacy, and universal manhood suffrage. He was important when it comes to the establishment of the First French Republic. He was even elected to the National Convention in the role of the deputy. What did he really look like?

Maximilien Robespierre

What Maximilien Robespierre Really Looked Like

In 2013, Philippe Froesch and Philippe Charlier worked together to create this rendering of his face. Apart from the artwork, they also relied on two death masks. Reports say that Madame Tussaud was the one to make these! She had to use his decapitated head as they executed him on July 28, 1794.

What Maximilien Robespierre Really Looked Like

Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg on January 27, 1756 and died in Vienna on December 5, 1791. The influential and talented composer was a key figure in classical music. He was a violin and keyboard prodigy who was already performing for royalty by the time he was 5 years old. He composed more than 600 works over the course of his career!

Mozart

What Mozart Really Looked Like

They uncovered his skull after his untimely death. His face was reconstructed by Pierre-Francois Puech, who based it on his conserved head. The composer had distinctive poor bone rim protection that made him look more feminine. He also had high cheekbones, blue eyes, white hair, and a short head.

What Mozart Really Looked Like

Ramses II

Ramses II or Ramesses the Great was the 3rd pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty in Egypt. Born in 1303 BC, he reigned from 1279 to 1213 BC. He was the father of 48 to 50 sons and 40 to 53 daughters. He passed away at the age of 90. He is considered the greatest pharaoh of the New Kingdom.

Ramses II

What Ramses II Really Looked Like

When he died, they buried him in the Valley of the Kings. After some time, they moved his remains to a royal cache. Priests were considered about looting, so they then relocated the body to the tomb of Queen Ahmose Inhapy after rewrapping it. Only 72 hours after that, they moved it to the tomb of Pinedjem II. His coffin had hieroglyphics that confirmed this. They discovered his remains in 1881.

What Ramses II Really Looked Like

Tiberius

Tiberius succeeded Augustus and ruled from 14 AD until 37 AD. Born to Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla, he went on to become the second Roman emperor. He was born in Rome on November 16, 42 BC and died in Miseno on March 16, 37 AD. He once said, “In a free state there should be freedom of speech and thought”.

Tiberius

What Tiberius Really Looked Like

He died at the age of 78, although the cause of death remains a mystery. They say that he got smothered by his sheets, although some say Caligula poisoned him. You will find the Tiberius Palace on the Palatine Hill in Rome. It is now a tourist spot, so make sure to check it out if you are ever in the area.

What Tiberius Really Looked Like

Marcus Agrippa

Marcus Agrippa was a consul, general, architect, and statesman. Born in 63 BC, he was the right-hand man and best friend of Augustus. You will see the buildings he designed when you go to Rome. He also brought Rome to victory against Cleopatra and Mark Antony during the Battle of Actium.

Marcus Agrippa

What Marcus Agrippa Really Looked Like

Marcus Agrippa died in Campania in 12 BC. He was 51 years old at the time. Augustus honored him by holding a huge funeral and mourning period that went on for more than 30 days. The emperor even took care of the children Marcus left. Even though he created a tomb for himself, he was placed in the mausoleum of Augustus instead. This was what artists think he looked like back in the day.

What Marcus Agrippa Really Looked Like

Huarmey Queen

The Huarmey Queen was an important figure in the Wari culture. These people lived in the coastal areas in the Andes Mountains and the south-central Andes from 700 to 1000 AD. This makes her as old as the Great Pyramid of Giza! They found her in the Ancash region, specifically in El Castillo de Huarmey. It was a well-preserved mausoleum. She was buried there with 57 noblewomen.

Huarmey Queen

What The Huarmey Queen Really Looked Like

They decided to give the Huarmey Queen a physical form to make her even more realistic-looking. What makes the discovery of the mausoleum so fascinating is the fact that she and the noblewomen were seated in rows of fives. They were also buried with silver bowls, jewelry, and other amazing artifacts.

What The Huarmey Queen Really Looked Like

Saint Zdislava Berka

Saint Zdislava Berka is a Czech Catholic saint. Called Havel of Markvartice, she was the wife of the Duke of Lemberk. She was a generous but strict woman who founded a convent. She was declared a saint on May 21, 1995. She was born to a Moravian family in 1220 and died in 1252.

Saint Zdislava Berka

What Saint Zdislava Berka Really Looked Like

In 2018, they made this digital forensic reconstruction of the saint. It looks amazingly real. Virtual reconstructions believe that this is what she looked like. They managed to make it look so realistic thanks to her remains. Her jaw structure and cheekbones remain intact.

What Saint Zdislava Berka Really Looked Like

Trajan

Born in September of 53, Trajan was a Roman emperor who reigned from 98 until he died in 117. He was declared the optimus princeps by the Roman Senate. This meant “the best ruler”! They recognized him as one of the greatest soldier-emperors in history. He led what might be the greatest military expansion in Roman history. After his death, the empire achieved its maximum territorial reach.

Trajan

What Trajan Really Looked Like

The reconstructionists used this marble bust of Trajan. Archaeologists believe that it was created in 113 AD. They assumed that the artist saw Trajan in person based on the quality of the work. When they found it, the statue was broken into more than 356 fragments after an earthquake caused it to break.

What Trajan Really Looked Like

‘Ava’

Achavanich is a mysterious site in Northern Scotland. This horseshoe-shaped arrangement was where they found the remains of a woman they then called ‘Ava’. They believed that she was 18 to 22 years old at the time of her death. Can you believe that her remains go back to more than 3,700 years ago?

‘Ava’

What ‘Ava’ Really Looked Like

Archaeologists Hew Morrison and Maya Hoole worked on the ‘Achavanich Beaker Burial Project’. They worked on the facial reconstruction of the woman they discovered. By doing this, they learned a lot about Ava and the Bronze age. Her DNA allowed them the opportunity to see what she looked like!

What ‘Ava’ Really Looked Like

Otzi The Iceman

Otzi The Iceman was on this planet sometime in 3400 to 3100 BCE. This well-preserved natural mummy was called a number of names: the Tyrolean Iceman, the Man from Hauslabjoch, the Similaun Man, and the Hauslabjoch mummy. Found in the Ötztal Alps in September 1991, he is the oldest known natural human mummy discovered in Europe. You can find him in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology.

Otzi The Iceman

What Otzi The Iceman Really Looked Like

His mummy has given everyone the opportunity to see life in Europe during the Copper Age. His body was preserved so well because he was frozen in ice for approximately 5,300 years. The naturalistic reconstruction of the mummy would not be possible if he was not in such a good state. This was what archaeologists and scientists believe he looked like.

What Otzi The Iceman Really Looked Like

Owain Glyndwr

Owain Glyndwr worked hard to stop English rule in Wales back in the late Middle Ages. The Welsh rebel was born in 1359, began his reign in 1404, and died in 1415. If you have read the Shakespeare play called Henry IV Part 1, you might remember him depicted as a wild and exotic king!

Owain Glyndwr

What Owain Glyndwr Really Looked Like

Watch ‘The Face of Glyndwr’ to see what the face reconstruction journey was like. They used the latest 3D and CGI technology to bring Owain Glyndwr to life! The experts said, “We have come as close as anyone ever will to finding out what the Welsh rebel actually looked like”.

What Owain Glyndwr Really Looked Like

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson is one of the most famous poets from the US. Born in Massachusetts in 1830, she went to an all-girls school. She had an isolated childhood, and things did not change for her as an adult. She died in 1886. It was only four years later that her works received the acclaim it deserved.

Emily Dickinson

What Emily Dickinson Really Looked Like

It must be hard to imagine what the poet looked like, which is why we are glad that modern technology is here to help us out. She looks gorgeous, just like her poetry. We sure are glad that we got to see what she looked like even though she lived more than a century ago.

What Emily Dickinson Really Looked Like

Marie Antoinette

Born in 1755, Marie Antoinette was an Austrian Princess who went on to become the Queen of France. She was actually the last person to hold that title since the French Revolution then happened. She was used as a pawn in European politics all her life. As a queen, she had a reputation for her decadence.

Marie Antoinette

What Marie Antoinette Really Looked Like

Technology has allowed us to take a look at how she looked like in the past. Of course, she wore a lot of glitzy gowns during her time. However, we are sure that she would look like a proper modern woman in a business-casual getup.

What Marie Antoinette Really Looked Like

Annie Oakley

Annie Oakley was an American exhibition shooter born in 1860. She died in 1926. This sharpshooter was only 15 years old when she won her match against Frank E. Butler. She later married the marksman, and the two of them joined the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Her is a famous quote of hers: “I ain’t afraid to love a man, I ain’t afraid to shoot him either”.

Annie Oakley

What Annie Oakley Really Looked Like

You will see just how stunning she is based on photos of her. Reconstructive artists have made it possible to get a better idea of what she looked like. She would fit very well in the 21st century!

What Annie Oakley Really Looked Like

What A 500 Year Old Dubliner Really Looked Like

In 2014, archaeologists unearthed the remains of a 500-year-old man, together with four others. They all displayed indicators of heavy manual labor and malnutrition. According to the experts, these were signs that they had a low-socioeconomic status. With the skull, they found out what he looked like.

What A 500 Year Old Dubliner Really Looked Like

Jane Of Jamestown

Jane was just 14 years old when she passed away. Her cause of death? Her Jamestown co-settlers ate her. In 2012, they found her leg bones and skull in a cellar. She lived during the 17th century. Back then, it was hard to stay alive, so people resorted to desperate measures.

Jane Of Jamestown

What Jane Of Jamestown Really Looked Like

Dr. Douglas Owsley is the chief forensic anthropologist working at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution. He examined her and saw that she had cuts and marks that came from attempts to get the brain and tissue from the bone. It matched the timeline since the winter of 1609 was particularly tough on the people of Jamestown.

What Jane Of Jamestown Really Looked Like

Mary Rose Archer

The Mary Rose warship went down in 1545 while engaging the French in battle. It belonged to the navy under King Henry VIII. It was discovered nearly 500 years after it sank! They found many crew members and examined their remains. The archer on the ship was among them.

Mary Rose Archer

What A Mary Rose Archer Really Looked Like

Even though algae and other organisms made it hard to analyze the bodies, they pulled it off. They identified a number of things about the archer. For one thing, he was 6 feet tall and wielded a longbow. They brought him to life with a 3D print and a facial reconstruction.

What A Mary Rose Archer Really Looked Like

Robert Burns

Robert Burns was a Scottish lyricist and poet. He was born in 1759 and passed away in 1796 at the age of 37. He is best known for “The Battle of Sherramuir” and “Auld Lang Syne”. His skull helped researchers see what he looked like.

Robert Burns

What Robert Burns Really Looked Like

The national poet of Scotland is still a celebrated figure to this day. Researchers reconstructed his face to see what he would look like if he was still alive. If you ask us, this looks very accurate. Good job!

What Robert Burns Really Looked Like

What A Medieval Maiden From Edinburgh Really Looked Like

Forensic experts uncovered more than 400 people at the burial grounds in South Leith Parish Church. The bodies dated back to the Middle Ages. In 2009, they excavated the bodies to accommodate the new train system. This woman was unearthed in the communal grave, so they could not determine the cause of death. However, it is likely that she died of the plague or another infectious disease.

What A Medieval Maiden From Edinburgh Really Looked Like

What A Beachy Head Lady Really Looked Like

Experts believed that the Beachy Head Lady was a European Roman from the 3rd century. However, they eventually realized that she was a sub-Saharan African! Heritage Officer Joe Seaman explained, “Whether that means that she’s the first generation, we don’t know. She could possibly have been born in Africa and brought over here at a very young age, but it’s just as likely that she was born here.”

What A Beachy Head Lady Really Looked Like

What Robert The Bruce Really Looked Like

Even though you will not see him in contemporary art works, University of Glasgow researchers relied on a skull thought to be his. In the past, artists only had word of mouth and their wild imaginations when they worked on his portraits and statues. Face Lab technology, together with archaeological and legal evidence, was used to recreate his face. Robert I was recognized by Pope John XXII as the king of Scotland. Sadly, he died five years after this.

What Robert The Bruce Really Looked Like

Jesus Christ

Surely, you have at least some vague idea about who Jesus Christ is. He is the biblical figure that walked on water, rose from the dead, made the blind see, and converted water into wine. He was crucified for the greater good. There are many depictions of him, but let us see if they got him right.

Jesus Christ

What The Real Jesus Christ Might Have Looked Like

The Bible did not give a description of his physical appearance, but modern evidence shows that Jesus did not look anything like most depictions of him. Researchers used forensic anthropology because they have no access to his body parts or skeletal remains either. The Israeli and British archaeologists and scientists worked together to bring us this rendering. It doesn’t look like the pictures we often see!

What The Real Jesus Christ Might Have Looked Like

The Lord Of Sipan

The Lord of Sipan was the first of several discoveries collectively known as the Moche mummies. In 1987, archaeologists in Peru discovered him. It was a very significant find. They found many treasures buried alongside his body. How did they bring this historical figure to life? Let us find out.

The Lord Of Sipan

What The Lord Of Sipan Really Looked Like

The forensic team had a challenge on their hands since the pressure of the sediment broke the skull when they were excavating the mummies. It is a good thing that modern technology allowed the reconstruction of all 96 fragments. They used photogrammetry to reconfigure his skull. The image below was created by the Brazilian Team of Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Odontology.

What The Lord Of Sipan Really Looked Like

Saint Anthony

Saint Anthony, who was born in 1195, passed away at the age of barely 36. He apparently had the ability to heal the sick, which is why he gained fame while still alive. After his passing, he was quickly canonized. He was canonized in the second-fastest time! He was proclaimed the patron saint of lost items just one year after his death.

Saint Anthony

What Saint Anthony Really Looked Like

It was reported that after his passing, children sobbed and bells rang on their own. Three decades later, his body was exhumed, but only his tongue and jawbone were found. The University of St. Anthony of Padua and the University of Sao Paolo had worked together on this project.

What Saint Anthony Really Looked Like

King Henry IV

Henry the Great and “Good King Henry” are other names for King Henry IV. He became King of Navarre at the age of 19. He wed two months later. To celebrate, Protestants flocked to the city, but it ended in the “St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.” He went to the French court after almost passing away.

King Henry IV

What King Henry IV Really Looked Like

It’s estimated that he had been the target of 13 murder attempts. He was selected for the project because the researchers respected his tolerance for other religions. He was revived by Philippe Charlier and Philippe Froesch. His most recent attempt on his life was successful. In 1610, he was stabbed by a Catholic.

What King Henry IV Really Looked Like

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach, who was born in 1685, became one of history’s most renowned musicians. The composer had excelled in music. Although he began by playing the organ, it was his church music compositions that catapulted him to fame. He accomplished things that very few others have been able to.

Johann Sebastian Bach

What Bach Really Looked Like

His likeness was recreated by Dr. Caroline Wilkinson using a cast of his skull. Bach spent some time in an unmarked grave. The church where he was interred was being renovated when they only discovered the body an additional 150 years later. They spotted a skull and believed it to be his. The project’s output is shown in the image below.

What Bach Really Looked Like

Simón Bolívar

Venezuelan military leader Simon Bolivar played a key role in the revolt against Spain. He was raised in a prosperous family and went to school in Spain. He joined the resistance while he was in Europe. He was known as “El Libertador” when France invaded Spain. His death was caused by tuberculosis.

Simón Bolívar

What Simón Bolívar Really Looked Like

When they told us that appearances might be deceiving, they weren’t lying. Although it can look like a real photo, it is only a fabrication. The forensic imagery team spent a year looking through old documents with the assistance of the Venezuelan government. That’s how they created it!

What Simón Bolívar Really Looked Like

Nicolaus Copernicus

The Earth was once believed to be the center of the universe. It was Nicolaus Copernicus who demonstrated that everyone was mistaken. He created the well-known sun-centered model. He was born in Poland in 1473. He had travelled all over Europe in his lifetime. Let’s take a look at his old appearance.

Nicolaus Copernicus

What Nicolaus Copernicus Really Looked Like

The scientist was portrayed in earlier works as a gaunt, hollow man. They created an accurate representation of him using modern technology. By the end, he still appeared dejected. It happens to geniuses all the time!

What Nicolaus Copernicus Really Looked Like

The Lady of Cao

For decades, the site had been the subject of studies in the Peruvian region of El Brujo. They were able to locate the Lady of Cao in 2005. She wore plain clothing and was believed to have passed away around 400. Because of the various artifacts discovered in her grave, specialists believe she was Moche and a member of the aristocracy.

The Lady of Cao

What The Lady Of Cao Really Looked Like

She was brought to the museum and kept in a climate-controlled room not long after they discovered the body. She and the guests are separated by a looking glass. Nobody has any idea of her position in society even today. They believe she was sacrificed. She was thought to be in her late 20s at the time of her death.

What The Lady Of Cao Really Looked Like

St. Nicholas

Christian saint St. Nikolaos of Myra lived in the fourth century. He was a Turkish bishop known as St. Nicholas and was renowned for his kindness and compassion. When children were left outside the house, he would leave gifts in their shoes. It was the beginning of the custom! Do you really think he existed as a real person?

St. Nicholas

What St. Nicholas Really Looked Like

He’s now referred to as Santa Claus. He does not, however, resemble what you might expect in the slightest. Since he was from Turkey, he was probably darker and more Middle Eastern in appearance than photos suggest. Westerners frequently believe that historical figures resemble them in terms of appearance. Obviously, this is untrue.

What St. Nicholas Really Looked Like

Giovanni Battista Sidotti

Apostolic missionary Giovanni Battista Sidotti was born in 1668. He traveled to Japan to spread Christianity. He wore a samurai disguise because he knew this was risky back then. He was apprehended and imprisoned until his death in 1714. He is regarded by many as “the last missionary.”

Giovanni Battista Sidotti