earlier this year I found myself staring into the eyes of an ancient Egyptian
into the eyes of an ancient Egyptian
into the eyes of an ancient Egyptian whose face hadn’t been seen for more
whose face hadn’t been seen for more
whose face hadn’t been seen for more than 2,000 years and I arrived at that
than 2,000 years and I arrived at that
than 2,000 years and I arrived at that moment because of my lifelong
moment because of my lifelong
moment because of my lifelong fascination with faces and portrait
fascination with faces and portrait
fascination with faces and portrait sculpting sculpting a portrait involves
sculpting sculpting a portrait involves
sculpting sculpting a portrait involves getting your proportions right but to
getting your proportions right but to
getting your proportions right but to get a close likeness relies on some
get a close likeness relies on some
get a close likeness relies on some intangible x factor that comes from deep
intangible x factor that comes from deep
intangible x factor that comes from deep within one needs to work in three
within one needs to work in three
within one needs to work in three dimensions and is still a number of
dimensions and is still a number of
dimensions and is still a number of observations about the person and then
observations about the person and then
observations about the person and then translate that into a portrait and the
translate that into a portrait and the
translate that into a portrait and the visual language that you use depends on
visual language that you use depends on
visual language that you use depends on an understanding of facial Anatomy of
an understanding of facial Anatomy of
an understanding of facial Anatomy of the bony architecture and the
the bony architecture and the
the bony architecture and the musculature that lies underneath the
musculature that lies underneath the
musculature that lies underneath the face but I didn’t fully appreciate just
face but I didn’t fully appreciate just
face but I didn’t fully appreciate just how closely our faces are reflected in
how closely our faces are reflected in
how closely our faces are reflected in our skulls until I studied forensic
our skulls until I studied forensic
our skulls until I studied forensic facial reconstruction with a leading
facial reconstruction with a leading
facial reconstruction with a leading expert in the u.s. current Taylor
expert in the u.s. current Taylor
expert in the u.s. current Taylor forensic facial reconstruction involves
forensic facial reconstruction involves
forensic facial reconstruction involves well it’s often used to identify remains
well it’s often used to identify remains
well it’s often used to identify remains when there’s no other clues but in
when there’s no other clues but in
when there’s no other clues but in effect it involves creating a portrait
effect it involves creating a portrait
effect it involves creating a portrait in Reverse from the inside out starting
in Reverse from the inside out starting
in Reverse from the inside out starting with the skull and we tend to think that
with the skull and we tend to think that
with the skull and we tend to think that skulls are all alike but in fact nothing
skulls are all alike but in fact nothing
skulls are all alike but in fact nothing could be further from the truth our
could be further from the truth our
could be further from the truth our skulls are as individual and unique as
skulls are as individual and unique as
skulls are as individual and unique as our faces and i studied at a research
our faces and i studied at a research
our faces and i studied at a research facility which was part of the forensic
facility which was part of the forensic
facility which was part of the forensic anthropology Center at Texas State
anthropology Center at Texas State
anthropology Center at Texas State University called The Freeman ranch and
University called The Freeman ranch and
University called The Freeman ranch and it’s commonly known as a body farm where
it’s commonly known as a body farm where
it’s commonly known as a body farm where forensic anthropologists study the
forensic anthropologists study the
forensic anthropologists study the effects of the environment on the
effects of the environment on the
effects of the environment on the decomposition of human remains and it’s
decomposition of human remains and it’s
decomposition of human remains and it’s a fascinating place and I must admit a
a fascinating place and I must admit a
a fascinating place and I must admit a little confronting at time
little confronting at time
little confronting at time but the forensic sculptor needs to work
but the forensic sculptor needs to work
but the forensic sculptor needs to work with forensic anthropologists who study
with forensic anthropologists who study
with forensic anthropologists who study the skull and determine things like age
the skull and determine things like age
the skull and determine things like age sex ancestry of the person involved and
sex ancestry of the person involved and
sex ancestry of the person involved and any other evidence that might be
any other evidence that might be
any other evidence that might be relevant to how they looked in life and
relevant to how they looked in life and
relevant to how they looked in life and the skulls that I looked at when I was
the skulls that I looked at when I was
the skulls that I looked at when I was there all had evidence of fatal injuries
there all had evidence of fatal injuries
there all had evidence of fatal injuries which was also very confronting like
which was also very confronting like
which was also very confronting like bullet holes at first the process of
bullet holes at first the process of
bullet holes at first the process of building up the place in clay on the
building up the place in clay on the
building up the place in clay on the skull seems almost procedural but then
skull seems almost procedural but then
skull seems almost procedural but then you get to a point where all of a sudden
you get to a point where all of a sudden
you get to a point where all of a sudden face emerges and the first time that
face emerges and the first time that
face emerges and the first time that happened for me I was working on the
happened for me I was working on the
happened for me I was working on the skull of an elderly woman and I got to a
skull of an elderly woman and I got to a
skull of an elderly woman and I got to a point where I had a startling
point where I had a startling
point where I had a startling realization that I was looking at the
realization that I was looking at the
realization that I was looking at the face of an actual person and this person
face of an actual person and this person
face of an actual person and this person was a stranger to me it wasn’t that I
was a stranger to me it wasn’t that I
was a stranger to me it wasn’t that I was recreating someone that I knew and
was recreating someone that I knew and
was recreating someone that I knew and thinking about the way she died made
thinking about the way she died made
thinking about the way she died made that moment really sad after each
that moment really sad after each
that moment really sad after each reconstruction was finished I was shown
reconstruction was finished I was shown
reconstruction was finished I was shown a photograph of the person or the people
a photograph of the person or the people
a photograph of the person or the people in life so I could assess how closely my
in life so I could assess how closely my
in life so I could assess how closely my sculptures resembled them and they were
sculptures resembled them and they were
sculptures resembled them and they were clearly recognizable but while any
clearly recognizable but while any
clearly recognizable but while any facial reconstruction can only be an
facial reconstruction can only be an
facial reconstruction can only be an approximation of how the person lived in
approximation of how the person lived in
approximation of how the person lived in life if they’re done well they’re often
life if they’re done well they’re often
life if they’re done well they’re often really close and in that case friends
really close and in that case friends
really close and in that case friends and relatives recognized them and crimes
and relatives recognized them and crimes
and relatives recognized them and crimes are solved missing person cases but back
are solved missing person cases but back
are solved missing person cases but back to the mummy so why was an ancient
to the mummy so why was an ancient
to the mummy so why was an ancient Egyptian head in my studio well last
Egyptian head in my studio well last
Egyptian head in my studio well last year I was invited to make a submission
year I was invited to make a submission
year I was invited to make a submission to create a sculpture for the body donor
to create a sculpture for the body donor
to create a sculpture for the body donor program for the University of Melbourne
program for the University of Melbourne
program for the University of Melbourne just by coincidence and I met the
just by coincidence and I met the
just by coincidence and I met the curator of the anatomy museum at the
curator of the anatomy museum at the
curator of the anatomy museum at the University dr. Ryan Jeffries and when I
University dr. Ryan Jeffries and when I
University dr. Ryan Jeffries and when I told him about my experience at the
told him about my experience at the
told him about my experience at the freeman ranch he mentioned that he
freeman ranch he mentioned that he
freeman ranch he mentioned that he happened to have in his office the
happened to have in his office the
happened to have in his office the mummified head of an ancient Egyptian
mummified head of an ancient Egyptian
mummified head of an ancient Egyptian as you do and he was curious about what
as you do and he was curious about what
as you do and he was curious about what she might have looked like in life and
she might have looked like in life and
she might have looked like in life and so so was born the Marissa moon project
so so was born the Marissa moon project
so so was born the Marissa moon project her mummified head is small and the
her mummified head is small and the
her mummified head is small and the bandages of blackened over time and the
bandages of blackened over time and the
bandages of blackened over time and the neck showed evidence of having been
neck showed evidence of having been
neck showed evidence of having been brutally hacked off from the mummified
brutally hacked off from the mummified
brutally hacked off from the mummified body at some stage and no one knows
body at some stage and no one knows
body at some stage and no one knows exactly how she came to be in the
exactly how she came to be in the
exactly how she came to be in the anatomy museum maybe for research or
anatomy museum maybe for research or
anatomy museum maybe for research or maybe she was just a souvenir from a
maybe she was just a souvenir from a
maybe she was just a souvenir from a time gone by but it’s likely that she’d
time gone by but it’s likely that she’d
time gone by but it’s likely that she’d been there for almost a hundred years so
been there for almost a hundred years so
been there for almost a hundred years so who was she well we know that she was a
who was she well we know that she was a
who was she well we know that she was a young female adult between 18 and 25
young female adult between 18 and 25
young female adult between 18 and 25 years old at her death and she was from
years old at her death and she was from
years old at her death and she was from a wealthy high-profile family who could
a wealthy high-profile family who could
a wealthy high-profile family who could afford mummification and she lived
afford mummification and she lived
afford mummification and she lived possibly as long ago as 1,500 years with
possibly as long ago as 1,500 years with
possibly as long ago as 1,500 years with this is uncertain she could be between
this is uncertain she could be between
this is uncertain she could be between 2003 and a half thousand years old
2003 and a half thousand years old
2003 and a half thousand years old historically mummies were unwrapped to
historically mummies were unwrapped to
historically mummies were unwrapped to be researched which or just out of
be researched which or just out of
be researched which or just out of curiosity actually which would be
curiosity actually which would be
curiosity actually which would be incredibly damaging but today computer
incredibly damaging but today computer
incredibly damaging but today computer tomography or CT scanning combined with
tomography or CT scanning combined with
tomography or CT scanning combined with 3d printing means that we have a
3d printing means that we have a
3d printing means that we have a non-invasive way of investigating
non-invasive way of investigating
non-invasive way of investigating ancient remains and in this case the
ancient remains and in this case the
ancient remains and in this case the head was CT scanned by a forensic
head was CT scanned by a forensic
head was CT scanned by a forensic Egyptologist called dr. Janet Davies who
Egyptologist called dr. Janet Davies who
Egyptologist called dr. Janet Davies who I worked closely with on the project and
I worked closely with on the project and
I worked closely with on the project and her images were then used to create a 3d
her images were then used to create a 3d
her images were then used to create a 3d print of the skull so with 3d print of
print of the skull so with 3d print of
print of the skull so with 3d print of the skull in hand I applied the same
the skull in hand I applied the same
the skull in hand I applied the same methodology for forensic faithful
methodology for forensic faithful
methodology for forensic faithful reconstruction and the technique uses
reconstruction and the technique uses
reconstruction and the technique uses average tissue depths taken from a
average tissue depths taken from a
average tissue depths taken from a specific population that’s a good fit
specific population that’s a good fit
specific population that’s a good fit for the skull so in this case we used
for the skull so in this case we used
for the skull so in this case we used measurements that have been taken from
measurements that have been taken from
measurements that have been taken from modern-day living Egyptian faces which
modern-day living Egyptian faces which
modern-day living Egyptian faces which are considered to be the best match we
are considered to be the best match we
are considered to be the best match we have for ancient Egyptians
have for ancient Egyptians
have for ancient Egyptians so once I had the tissue depth data I
so once I had the tissue depth data I
so once I had the tissue depth data I place markers across the skull and at
place markers across the skull and at
place markers across the skull and at specific points which are called
specific points which are called
specific points which are called landmarks and the idea is to build up
landmarks and the idea is to build up
landmarks and the idea is to build up the clay to the level of those markers
the clay to the level of those markers
the clay to the level of those markers and make sure that you’ve taken into
and make sure that you’ve taken into
and make sure that you’ve taken into consideration the major muscles of the
consideration the major muscles of the
consideration the major muscles of the face the skull was in remarkably good
face the skull was in remarkably good
face the skull was in remarkably good condition which meant that I could model
condition which meant that I could model
condition which meant that I could model soft tissue features like the lips or
soft tissue features like the lips or
soft tissue features like the lips or the nose and the eyes according to the
the nose and the eyes according to the
the nose and the eyes according to the formulas that I’d learned for example
formulas that I’d learned for example
formulas that I’d learned for example the corners of the mouth and the width
the corners of the mouth and the width
the corners of the mouth and the width of the lips are dependent on the
of the lips are dependent on the
of the lips are dependent on the position of the teeth and prosthetic
position of the teeth and prosthetic
position of the teeth and prosthetic eyes are placed within the bony orbit of
eyes are placed within the bony orbit of
eyes are placed within the bony orbit of the of the skull at a particular angle
the of the skull at a particular angle
the of the skull at a particular angle and position and the projected length of
and position and the projected length of
and position and the projected length of the nose and the width are calculated
the nose and the width are calculated
the nose and the width are calculated with measurements of the area around the
with measurements of the area around the
with measurements of the area around the nose like the anterior nasal spine and
nose like the anterior nasal spine and
nose like the anterior nasal spine and some of the images from the CT scanning
some of the images from the CT scanning
some of the images from the CT scanning also included mummified flesh and that
also included mummified flesh and that
also included mummified flesh and that was interesting in it was helpful to
was interesting in it was helpful to
was interesting in it was helpful to create the ears I could see the ears and
create the ears I could see the ears and
create the ears I could see the ears and allow for being mummified but normally
allow for being mummified but normally
allow for being mummified but normally there is a complete mystery there’s no
there is a complete mystery there’s no
there is a complete mystery there’s no clues on the skull so that was
clues on the skull so that was
clues on the skull so that was incredibly helpful and then came the
incredibly helpful and then came the
incredibly helpful and then came the incredible moment when her face emerged
incredible moment when her face emerged
incredible moment when her face emerged so if you can picture this I think you
so if you can picture this I think you
so if you can picture this I think you can picture this I was sitting in my
can picture this I was sitting in my
can picture this I was sitting in my studio surrounded by Australian bushland
studio surrounded by Australian bushland
studio surrounded by Australian bushland with a kangaroo outside the window and
with a kangaroo outside the window and
with a kangaroo outside the window and inside I was looking at a face of
inside I was looking at a face of
inside I was looking at a face of someone who had lived 2,000 years ago in
someone who had lived 2,000 years ago in
someone who had lived 2,000 years ago in Egypt in a sense of the inner life
Egypt in a sense of the inner life
Egypt in a sense of the inner life emerging was truly astonishing and
emerging was truly astonishing and
emerging was truly astonishing and humbling at the same time it was like
humbling at the same time it was like
humbling at the same time it was like reaching out and touching the past and
reaching out and touching the past and
reaching out and touching the past and it seemed to me in that moment that as
it seemed to me in that moment that as
it seemed to me in that moment that as humans we really haven’t changed she was
humans we really haven’t changed she was
humans we really haven’t changed she was just a person like any one of us and I
just a person like any one of us and I
just a person like any one of us and I wondered how she lived and I thought how
wondered how she lived and I thought how
wondered how she lived and I thought how sad it was that she died so young so she
sad it was that she died so young so she
sad it was that she died so young so she now had a face so it seemed appropriate
now had a face so it seemed appropriate
now had a face so it seemed appropriate that we should give her a name and it
that we should give her a name and it
that we should give her a name and it was decided that she should be called
was decided that she should be called
was decided that she should be called Marita moon which is an ancient Egyptian
Marita moon which is an ancient Egyptian
Marita moon which is an ancient Egyptian name which
name which
name which means beloved of the God our moon so the
means beloved of the God our moon so the
means beloved of the God our moon so the display of ancient Egyptian mummies has
display of ancient Egyptian mummies has
display of ancient Egyptian mummies has become less common in recent times as
become less common in recent times as
become less common in recent times as human remains as museum exhibits has
human remains as museum exhibits has
human remains as museum exhibits has been questioned what public interest in
been questioned what public interest in
been questioned what public interest in Egyptian mummies would still remain
Egyptian mummies would still remain
Egyptian mummies would still remain strong this technique offers museums a
strong this technique offers museums a
strong this technique offers museums a way of providing an interface with the
way of providing an interface with the
way of providing an interface with the public that takes the emphasis off the
public that takes the emphasis off the
public that takes the emphasis off the actual remains and as an artist I found
actual remains and as an artist I found
actual remains and as an artist I found this whole experience incredibly
this whole experience incredibly
this whole experience incredibly rewarding forensic facial reconstruction
rewarding forensic facial reconstruction
rewarding forensic facial reconstruction is a true collaboration between art and
is a true collaboration between art and
is a true collaboration between art and science and you can’t have one without
science and you can’t have one without
science and you can’t have one without the other and it’s an art form that can
the other and it’s an art form that can
the other and it’s an art form that can solve crimes but it can also in the case
solve crimes but it can also in the case
solve crimes but it can also in the case of measurement bring back an ancient
of measurement bring back an ancient
of measurement bring back an ancient egyptian and i hope to that in some ways
egyptian and i hope to that in some ways
egyptian and i hope to that in some ways we gave her her dignity back a little
we gave her her dignity back a little
we gave her her dignity back a little and I’m just glad I met her thank you
”
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