The Actual Look Of These Historical Figures Might Shock You

The Glorious Life Of King Tut

Thanks to over 2,000 digital scans, building on all the archaeological knowledge accumulated over the years, we know as much about King Tut as we do now. It was revealed that King Tut died as a result of malaria, congenital deformities as a result of inbreeding and a fractured lower leg. It was only after his demise that the royal family found out how a “pure bloodline” could be dangerous.

King Tut Figure

The deformities of King Tut went as far as him having a clubbed left foot, deformed hips, and always getting infections because of a poor immune system. Also, he was unable to perform his duties effectively as he had to sit constantly. Thus, the frailed-figure result rings quite true.

Emperor Nero

Nero Claudius Caesar, the Roman emperor who reigned from 54-68 A.D, will be remembered in history, though not for the best of reasons by most. Caesar considered himself an artist, and even performed as a poet and actor, amongst other things. Amongst his own people, the rich loathed him for raising taxes, while the lower classes favored him for his populist style. Still, to many, he is a psychopath that thought too much of himself. He was a tyrannical ruler, whose reign will be remembered for many wars and even the murder of his own mother. His terrible chinstrap beard was the worst part of his look.

Emperor Nero

During his reign, Nero became one of the most hated figures of all time. But Caesar was also a singer, he also played the lyre, was a trained Olympian, and a chariot race competitor. Thanks to modern art and technology, we, the people of this age, will get a chance to see what he possibly looked like.

Nefertiti

Queen Nefertiti was the wife of the Pharaoh of Eygpt who reigned between 1353-1336 B.C. Evidence also has it that she reigned independently after the death of her husband and was a powerful figure during the time. Like King Tut, Nefertiti was widely popularized after archaeologists found her statue turned upside down in the sand (buried).

Nefertiti

The discovery of her bust was made by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt in 1913. It visualized a beautiful woman who sported a slender neck and fascinating facial features. After more intense scans were conducted, it showed Nefertiti was still quite human, she had wrinkles, minor scars, and a bump on her nose.

Living Through Nefertiti

Nefertiti was the mother of six children and eventually became the grandmother of King Tut. However, as the research went deeper, some quite disturbing truths were revealed.

Living Through Nefertiti

One of Nefertiti’s daughters was King Tut’s mother, but the boy shared the same father as his mother. Does this mean that Nefertiti’s husband also fathered a child with his own daughter? It seems like it might be so. History would have it that King Tut was from the direct bloodline, thus the deformities that plagued his life until his death.

Robert the Bruce

Robert the Bruce was a stalwart during his time and will be remembered – especially in Scottish history. About 200 years ago, a cast made from Brice’s skull was discovered after the place he was buried was being remodeled. Since the discovery, historical enthusiasts had embarked on a mission to truly show what the brave figure looked like.

Robert The Bruce

He lived during the time of King Edward I, who made a declaration that Scotland should be a part of England instead of a kingdom on its own. However, Bruce had issues with the declaration, and in 1314, he defeated an English army at Bannockburn in a bid to preserve Scotland’s autonomy.

His True Features

The leader for the restoration project, Dr. Martin Macgregor, a professor at the University of Glasgow, noted that the brave act of Bruce is the reason Scotland is still in existence today. The discovered cast was the emblem from which the team designed the figure that depicts what he looked like.

His True Features

There are currently two figures of Robert the Bruce, one with a seamless feature and another depicting his skin being affected by leprosy, which is believed to be the cause of his death.

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar is known to many for his prominence in early Rome. He was known for his successful wars mainly in the European region, and in 60 B.C., Caesar joined forces with two other famous Roman figures, Crassus and Pompey the Great. Pompey was a member of the senate while Caesar worked his way to becoming the sole controller of the empire. The three formed the First Triumvirate, but as time went by, their ulterior motives changed, and everyone was for themselves.

Julius Caesar

In 50 B.C., Crassus was killed, and the other two started a deadly battle for control over Rome. Fast forward to 2018; anthropologist Maja d’Hollosy started a mission to uncover the true physical features and looks of Julius Caesar.

The True Caesar

The busts that were scanned to make the current version showed some amazing features of the early ruler. During his rule, Caesar had an affair with Cleopatra, waged more war for control of the Mediterranean, and is also known for his shocking murder that took place on the Senate floor in March of 44 B.C.

The True Caesar

One of the busts scanned to create the new design is still on display at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities. It portrays Caesar with a prominent head and forehead and somewhat dwarfed facial features.

Queen Elizabeth I

Reigning over England from 1559-1603, Queen Elizabeth I was a famous figure of the early days who became queen under unique circumstances. The culture at the time was that for the throne to be passed on the king must have a son. However, Queen Elizabeth’s father went through six wives before he got a son who later died along with an elder sister, thus leaving Elizabeth to be the heir.

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth reigned for 45 years and was nicknamed “The Virgin Queen” because she never got married. Knowing her true appearance was not an easy task, but thanks to the works and inspirations of artist Mat Collishaw, we have a “living” image of her.

Connecting with Queen Elizabeth

During her time, Queen Elizabeth had a successful reign as she helped with the flourishing of the writing and arts industry, settling of issues between the Catholic Church as well as defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588. It was also during her reign that the famous William Shakespeare wrote and acted most of his plays.

Connecting With Queen Elizabeth

Today, the newly created version of the queen showcases her in an animatronic format where she can blink at you. The inspiration for the creation of this bust came from the Armada portrait, which can be found at the queen’s House in Greenwich.

Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary Stuart is known to many as Mary Queen of Scots, the famous Queen who took over the throne at just six days old. This bizarre reality happened as her father died shortly after her birth, and she was the sole heir to the throne. However, her mother sent her to grow up in the French Court in France, where she returned in 1559. Her reign was between 1542-1567.

Mary, Queen Of Scots

In bringing her features to life, Dundee University professor Caroline Wilkinson put time and effort into doing multiple paintings and drawings to see which would more depict the queen in a 3-D setting. But that was not all, Wilkinson also used biographical information to aid in removing most of the “popular history” which is full of a lot of folklore and tall tales, which often twist the truth.

The Queen’s Lifestyle

Queen Mary is the first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth of England at the time, and though Queen Elizabeth allowed for Queen Mary to seek refuge in England when she was rebelled against in Scotland, the two seemed to have different plans…

The Queen’s Lifestyle

Queen Mary thought her cousin would help her regain power over the Scottish throne, yet Queen Elizabeth thought her cousin was plotting to overthrow her and kept her as a prisoner for 18 years until she was found guilty of treason and was beheaded.

Richard III

History has not always been so good to King Richard III, who only managed to reign for two years (1483-1485) over England. Richard III was seen as a tyrant and dictator-type king, especially as portrayed in Shakespeare’s play, which bares his name. Richard III was the last king to rule under the 330-year Plantagenet Dynasty who was overruled and replaced by the Tudors. Richard’s body was lost in history as no one really knew where he was buried after his death.

Richard III

It proved somewhat difficult to put his life and history together until 2012 when a major discovery was made. In an excavation of an underground parking lot in major city constructions taking place, King Richard’s body was found in Leicester, England.

Brought to Life

But what led to his death? During the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, legend tells that then King Richard, wanted to go headfirst into battle as a way of reaching Henry Tudor (who was attempting to overthrow him) quickly and directly. Apparently, he fought valiantly yet was soon surrounded and was killed.

Brought to Life

There was no actual painting of the king during his reign, so Dundee and her team had to use historical findings, afterlife paintings, and the newly discovered skull found under the parking lot. The finished project highlights some amazing features of what the King possibly looked like.

Meritamun

In ancient times when one would hear of the “beloved of the god Amun,” it would immediately be obvious that the reference is to Meritamun. In truth, we wouldn’t know anything about her if it weren’t for the discoveries of researchers from the University of Melbourne. While they were gathering their artifacts and archives, the researchers found a skull that linked to that of Meritamun. But how did it get there in the place from where it was? A total mystery.

Meritamun

Meritamun was a woman who portrayed nobility, and though she was only around 18-25 years old, she did what she had to during her time. Possibly, she lived about 3,000 years into the 3rd century B.C. Unfortunately, they couldn’t say what caused her death because all they had was her skull.

Reconstruction of Meritamun

As they struggled to find out what she looked like, they found an interesting feature about her – she loved sugar. The skull revealed Meritamun was suffering from tooth decay, and it was just a coincidence that she lived during the time Alexander the Great had introduced sugar to Egypt. It was during her years that Alexander the Great conquered and took conquest of the land.

Reconstruction Of Meritamun

Researchers took approximately 140 hours to conduct all their CT scans on the skull to create the 3-D figure we see today. The extensive scans and reviews revealed that Meritamun was battling anemia and that the results of becoming weak and frail from the disease may have been the cause of her death.

Jesus Christ

For sure, Jesus Christ in the Western region is depicted in artistry of all kinds, more popularly than any other figure in the history of existence. Christ was born around 4 B.C and died between 30-33 A.D. and is known to many as “Son of God,” “King of the Jews,” and “Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” So, any portrait of him seen around the world can easily be identified by almost everyone.

Jesus Christ

The portrait we are used to has been under scrutiny by many researchers as they note it does not link to someone who lived in the Persian portion of the Roman Empire. The painting they claim is a work of art from the Middle Ages and would have been created long after Christ’s death. The white man with fair hair may not be a true representation of who He was, so the current project may leave you in complete shock.

A Shroud in Turin

Researchers stumbled on a 14-foot linen cloth in 1354, which they believed was the exact materials used during the crucifixion. An unexpected photograph negative revealed the image of a man who they later discovered to have been crucified, and there is still no explanation as to how the image of the man was visible in such a manner. Immediately people thought this must be Christ.

A Shroud in Turin

Since then, however, there have been carbon tests to date the material and most agree that the material is probably at least a century older than Jesus was, yet it is still a heated debate between many. However, in 2001, forensic anthropologist Richard Neave decided to create an image that he thought would be a close representation of a Galilean man based on a skull from the region. So, he used the information about Christ’s age, how the people of the time looked and lived among other details, and although he never claimed it was an exact representation, we are never told that Jesus had distinct features of any kind, so it probably is not far off.

Maximilian Robespierre

As the head of state of France, Maximilian Robespierre reigned between 1792-1794, one of the shortest in French history. He helped in forming the Committee for Public Safety and became the chief member, a short while after King Louis XVI and Queen Marie were executed. Though he was one of the most famous figures of the French Revolution he was later accused of trying to promote dictatorship.

Maximilian Robespierre

Robespierre’s desire for revolution was not only confined to his wish for political change but he also opposed the pope and the Catholic Church, and was concerned with virtue, to the extent that he saw those opposing his ideals as unvirtuous, soon this became known as Robespierre trying to get “The Cult of the Supreme Being” to be France’s national religion.

His True Looks with Limits

Forensic pathologist Philippe Charlier along with his friend Philippe Froesch, a facial reconstruction specialist teamed up in 2013 to create a replica of Robespierre’s figure. They used the ruler’s death mask as a key part of the research, which was created a short while after he was executed.

His True Features

Robespierre was eventually arrested, and there are some disputes as to whether he attempted suicide or was shot in the jaw. Either way, a few days later he was executed along with 21 of his closest supporters.

Lord of Sipan

Ever heard of the Moche mummies? Well, the Lord of Sipan was the first to be unearthed in a lengthy discovery undertaken by researchers and archaeologists. The Lord of Sipan’s body was dug up in 1987 in Peru and considered as one of the most interesting findings in the 20th century. He was buried with lots of valuables and other treasures, similar to King Tut.

Lord Of Sipan

However, for anyone to think this digging process was a breeze, then they can’t know what it means to have soil toppled for over 2,000 years. During the process of trying to recover the skull, it ended up breaking into 96 different pieces. But thanks to modern technology, they were able to put the pieces together to create the 3-D image they were working towards.

Rebirth of the Lord of Sipan

The image presented was created by a process known as photogrammetry. This method sees 3-D images being created with the use of multiple angles set up from different perspectives. The project was conducted by a team of Forensic anthropologists, and forensic odontologists from Brazil, and the final product gave a striking replica of what the ancient figure looked like.

Rebirth Of The Lord Of Sipan

Lord of Sipan undoubtedly was of high-class status due to the number of expensive jewelry and valuables he was wearing at his death. These include metals, precious stones, and other carvings from pricey products, and he was determined to be around 35-45 years old at his death. He was buried with two warriors who had their feet amputated so they couldn’t walk away from the tomb and would always be there to protect him – interesting, right?!

King Henry IV

Known to many as “Henry the Great” or “Good King Henry,” King Henry IV was a stalwart in the history of France and its development. It is considered a wonderful thing for a king who started his reign at just 19 years old. Two months after he first sat on the throne, he got married in an elaborate city feast and celebration. However, the feast soon turned sour as war broke, and many people lost their lives. This event has gone down in history as “St. Batholomew’s Day Massacre.”

King Henry IV

Luckily for King Henry IV, he escaped unharmed but was caught and made to serve in the French court. After five years of turmoil, he managed to escape and built an army that would wage war against the enemies in what is known as the Wars of Religion.

An Angelic King

King Henry IV was revered as a good king because he put his people first, and instead of waging costly wars (both financially and people’s lives), he paid his opposers off. However, the religious wars between the Catholics and the Protestants at the time, meant that the King’s life was often threatened. While King Henry IV managed to survive an impressive 12 assassination attempts in his life, he was eventually stabbed in May 1610.

An Angelic King

Because he was such a revered public figure and had such revolutionary ideas about religion and poverty for the time, he was chosen as a part of the recreation project. The same artist and pathologists who recreated Robespierre, Philippe Charlier, and Philippe Froesch did the works of Henry IV. The results are stunning, and based on historical facts and features of the king, the replica stands as true as we can get.

Johann Sebastian Bach

A talented musician and one who comes from a family that has long been in the musical arena, Johann Sebastian Bach made his name in history for different reasons. Bach was born in Germany in 1685 and is in the record books as a talented musician and one of history’s greatest composers. He was the life of music and the legend of the golden age of music.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach played the organ extremely well, and most of his composed songs were done for the Church. In 1721, the legend did what most thought would be impossible; he wrote his Brandenburg Concertos, a six-part concerto that placed a different light on the pace of music in general. He achieved this feat while there was both much criticism towards him as well many other great composers who looked upon these achievements with awe.

A Face to the Music Legend

Johann Sebastian Bach was buried in an unmarked grave (a legend almost lost to history). Still, thanks to the expert researching skills of Dundee University’s Dr. Caroline Wilkinson, there is now a face to the musician we heard so much about. She managed to use a cast, which is said to be Bach’s skull, as the base for her technological scans.

A Face To The Music Legend

It all began about 150 years after Bach’s burial that local religionists realized that the Church he was buried in needed repairs. They seized the opportunity, and a grave believed to be his was revealed and the particulars handed to Dr. Wilkinson for her recreation project.

Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas is believed to have lived in the 4th century and there is general concurrence that he was the Bishop of Myre. There are few details in writing about this iconic figure though he has come to be a statement of history even until today. His actions have made him a patriarch in Greece, Russia, and of Christmas itself.

Saint Nicholas

However, his good deeds were probably seen as a threat in the eyes of Emperor Diocletian, who had him persecuted and thrown in prison. This act was done during a time when there was terrible persecution of Christians. However, he was released under the rule of Emperor Constantine, who was on a mission to get Rome to join the Christian movement. His freedom came with a positive note as he used his time to help needy children, orphans, and young women who were being sold as slaves.

Santa Claus, Maybe?

Because he was so loving to especially the young ones, Saint Nicholas was the early version of Santa Claus because stories tell of him throwing gifts out at Christmas time to bring the cheers of joy and giving to all. Saint Nicholas died, and his remains were buried in Myre, and a church was erected in his memory. But during the Ottoman invasions, some 200 years after his death, a group of Italians excavated most of his skeleton, in 1087, and brought it to Bari. The San Basilica was enshrined in the 11th century, and Saint Nicholas’s body remains there to this day.

Santa

Luckily enough for researcher Dr. Caroline Wilkinson, she was able to create a 3-D portrait as this body was efficiently well-preserved. The final image portrayed a brown skin tone, which is normal for someone of Greek descent from what is today modern-day Turkey. There is also an obvious default on his face (deviated septum), which was a result of improper healing of a broken nose.

Copernicus

Born Nicolas Copernicus in 1473 in Toron, a Polish town, Copernicus was determined to make a change the way he knew best. He lived in a time when telescopes were not yet invented but he was still determined to accomplish his mission. Copernicus studied the skies for a few years and later made the declaration as to his conclusion that the sun was the center of the universe instead of earth. This conclusion was in total contradiction to the Christian belief that earth is the ultimate center.

Copernicus

Copernicus stuck to his findings but didn’t get much attention from the Church, and soon after, published a series called “Six Books Concerning the Revolution of the Heavenly Orbs”. This series was published in 1543 and was also the same year he died.

Discovering the True Copernicus

Copernicus was a popular figure because of his astronomical feats and the other accomplishments he had. However, it was really after his death that he became the famous icon he is today. Where he was buried was not discovered until around 2005 when researchers followed clues that led to them find his remains and skull in a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Frombork, Poland. This finding is pretty ironic if you ask us.

Discovering The True Copernicus

To make the 3-D image we have today, they had to do matches from other paintings and other images that were previously made of him. The project was successful as his scars and broken nose were major features that helped in identifying him. In 2008, they did a DNA test with a hair sample from one of his books, and the skulls did match that of Copernicus.

Lady of Cao

Lady of Cao lived during the year 400, and since 1990, researchers and archaeologists have been trying to unearth this figure’s remains for a 3-D reconstruction project. However, they never succeeded until about 2005 when they manage to retrieve her remains, which were buried in a bundle of cloth.

Lady Of Cao

Based on examinations and tests done on the remains, scientists and researchers concluded she lived through the Moche culture, which had success in Peru. In addition to the many findings they had, the team also believed she was an aristocrat, as women of those ages were never usually embalmed in such a manner. The wrapping and surroundings of her remains told a powerful story of who she was.

Connecting with the Lady of Cao

The home of the Lady of Cao is housed at the El Brujo museum and is not so easy to identify unless you have the aid of a strategically-placed mirror. The area in which she is placed has to be climate-controlled to ensure her remains are well-preserved.

Connecting with the Lady of Cao

Researchers managed to use the best practices of forensic investigators to create the full-body representation we see here. The Lady of Cao’s 3-D imagery is a beautifully-designed figure of a woman in her late 20s, though no one knows what her role in society was. But, it is known that she probably had proportional affluence based on how she was buried.

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is considered one of the most successful playwrights in the history of art and poetry even though he lived between 1564-1616. It is through the popularity of Shakespeare’s works that we can recite lines such as “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once” or “night owl” or even “full circle”. Just these few famous lines all come from only one of his plays, “Julius Caesar”, so think how many more there are! The artistic display of Shakespeare’s image done by James Faed in 1859, depicts a true sense of what Shakespeare looked like. Alongside this design was a compilation of some of his plays.

William Shakespeare

Meeting Shakespeare “In Person”

Shakespeare did well for himself, even though he came from humble roots as the son of an English farmer. The playwright, in his mission to change the face of poetry, established the popular Globe Theatre as well as putting fresh light on the English Language. To date, there are probably thousands of paintings, sculptures, and drawings of Shakespeare, but it was his death mask that initially gave the details for creating the current image. After his death in April 1616, the death mask captured a true replica of his face through the formation.

A Deeper Look At Shakespeare

So, when Dr. Caroline Wilkinson of Dundee University scanned it, she was able to get intensive details in aiding the creation of the 3-D image. The current image showing an older Shakespeare with wrinkles and warts is a result of the interior details that were discovered. Pretty amazing!

George Washington

George Washington was the first president of the United States of America after serving as the leader of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Washington is recognized as a stalwart who aided and guided a fledgling nation into advanced development and can be seen in many paintings all over the world.

George Washington

In 1814 First Lady Dolley Madison managed to save a painting of Washington after the British burned down the President’s Palace (now known as the White House) in an arson attack. Luckily, it is now one of the most critical pieces that have been used in helping to bring to life what the former president looked like.

Fearless Legacy

George Washington is known to many for the foundational works he did while in office. However, one of the most critical factors of his memory lies in the fact that at the peak of his presidency, he stepped down. He could have gone in successfully as the president for the third term, but he set a two-term limit for the presidential reign to reduce the chances of dictatorship.

Fearless Legacy

Researchers have been trying endlessly to get a true replica of what the former president looked like, and with much work and dedication, they eventually succeeded. The team managed to use technology-based resources to generate an image of what Washington may have looked like. Sure enough, the job was well-done as it portrayed all his facial features with hidden ivory teeth, fair complexion, and piercing blue eyes.

Saint Anthony

Saint Anthony was a man of God who was famous for his healing powers and preaching ability. He was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1195, and lived until he was 36 years old, and was considered an impressive figure of his time. Saint Anthony is honored and loved by the Catholic Church up until this day and was the second-fastest person to be canonized as a saint.

Saint Anthony

Throughout his life, he was admired, and about one year after his death, the Church decreed Saint Anthony to be the “Saint of lost things.” So, let’s say you can’t find your keys of something you misplace, say a prayer to Saint Anthony, and before you know it… they will be found. You may also want to imagine what he would look like while you pray. Let us know if it works!

Saint Anthony’s Facial Features

At the time of his death in 1231, it is said that the Catholic bells rang without anyone triggering it. This action led to continuous weeping and mourning by children in the streets and those who had come to love him. However, 30 years later, his body was exhumed, and the only thing that remained was his bottom jawbone and tongue. These are still on display to this date and open for visitors enthusiastic about historical facts.

Saint Anthony’s Facial Features

Theologians and researchers from The University of St. Anthony of Padua’s Anthropology Museum teamed up in 2013 with a famous designer at the University of Sao Paolo to create a 3-D face image of Saint Anthony. The life of the saint and his doings are still, to this day, lodged in the history of the Catholic Church. In 1946, Saint Anthony was proclaimed the “Doctor of the Church” by Pope Pius XII.

Cleopatra

Co-reigning over the Kingdom of Egypt for 30 years, Cleopatra was an intelligent and bilingual figure who has developed a reputation for being the epitome of beauty. Her beauty was so charming that it stole the hearts of two of the most powerful men of ancient history, and the people of the time couldn’t blame her for that happening.

Cleopatra

However, the current bust of Cleopatra does not overly portray the beauty everyone was seemingly talking about. Other busts and statues elsewhere, though, have her as a flawless art of beauty.

Her True Beauty

The Cleopatra bust that was created in 40-30 B.C was designed with marble and is seen to be actually quite close to a true depiction of who she was. It sported her commonly worn hairstyle (melon hairstyle), as well as a bun she was known for wearing. It was a style worn by most Ptolemaic queens, and all coins and other works of art had her wearing the same.

Her True Beauty

The latest bust to be revealed has Cleopatra sporting a prominent nose and semi-masculine features, and although certainly striking, many now believe that she won the attention of Rome’s finest men, not because of her beauty, but due to her intelligence and cunning.

Nero’s Life

The reality of what Emperor Nero looked like is pretty haunting and spot-on. His personality was so clear from his awry smile and the “death gaze” we can certainly imagine him having. These qualities and looks only portrayed the beast he was and how he would go to any length to achieve what he wanted. Do you remember the deadly Rome fire in 64 A.D. that saw Circus Maximus burning for three days?

Nero’s Life

Well, amidst all that turmoil, pain, and agony, stories tell of Nero singing an “emotion-less” song from his empire roof. Many people believe Nero started the fire himself in order to build himself a palace in the same location. But at the peak of his brutality, Roman provinces hit back and sanctioned his execution. However, before they could manage to do away with him, he committed suicide after declaring, “What an artist dies in me!”