Putting the Pieces Together: Forensic Facial Reconstruction of “Jane”

Summary

As part of its analysis, a partial, fragmented skull, identified as evidence of cannibalism at Jamestown, Virginia, was scanned using computed tomography. Digitally created bone models of the disassembled pieces were oriented in anatomical position and missing portions of the skull were created through mirror imaging of the recovered bone. Technology used in medicine and industry to create bone models for surgeons, called additive manufacturing or 3D printing, was applied to create a complete physical model of the skull that formed the foundation for a forensic facial reconstruction. The finished form, a sculpted human likeness of the girl whose bones were found in the cellar, provides a visual bridge for translating new methods and current scientific findings to a broad audience while fostering dialogue on complicated and incompletely understood events in history.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Survival Cannibalism at Jamestown, Virginia: A Case Study in Interdisciplinary Historical Archaeology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-62,04