Richard III dig: Facial reconstruction shows how king may have looked

BBC ^ | 4 February 2013 | unknown

[beaversmom]

A facial reconstruction based on the skull of Richard III has revealed how the English king may have looked.

A skeleton found under a car park in Leicester has been confirmed as that of the king.

The reconstructed face has a slightly arched nose and prominent chin, similar to features shown in portraits of Richard III painted after his death.

Historian and author John Ashdown-Hill said seeing it was "almost like being face to face with a real person".

The development comes after archaeologists from the University of Leicester confirmed the skeleton found last year was the 15th Century king's, with DNA from the bones having matched that of descendants of the monarch's family.

Richard, who was killed in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32 after just two years on the throne, having been challenged by the forces of Henry Tudor, the future Henry VII. Continue reading the main story Richard III graphic

Interactive: Twisted bones reveal a king

Dr Ashdown-Hill, who wrote The Last Days of Richard III, said: "The most obvious features in portraits are the shape of the nose and the chin and both of those are visible in the facial reconstruction."

Richard III Society member Philippa Langley, originator of the search, said on a Channel 4 documentary earlier: "It doesn't look like the face of a tyrant. I'm sorry but it doesn't.

"He's very handsome. It's like you could just talk to him, have a conversation with him right now."

Layers of muscle and skin were added by computer to a scan of the skull and the result was made into a three-dimensional plastic model. 'In the presence'

Dr Ashdown-Hill said: "I had said previously that when I stood by the grave in Leicester that I felt closer to...

[JouleZ]

From being a king to buried under a parking lot....
******
Probably would never happen to a President. . . .
#####

Reagans house will be the Kenyans library parking lot....

[jocon307]

A wonderful book. Thanks for mentioning it here. Freepers esp. would enjoy it I think. It gives many good examples of historical “truths” that are just plain old malarky. Since we are really living in an age of that it is newly timely I think.

[Oztrich Boy]

If you read Josephine Tey’s The Daughter of Time, you’ll see an alternate theory that RIII’s successor/overthrower, Henry VI, killed off the little princes.

Henry VI died in 1471. You mean VII.

Too obvious. I suspected Henry Stafford Strafford 2d Duke of Buckingham... before...
I noticed that all of the families of York and Lancaster had a big meeting at St Pauls Catherdal on Lady Day (25 March) 1457 where they swore to be BFFs. Over the next 30 years they all died mysterious deaths, except ... Lady Margret Beaufort, mother of Harri Tudur, later Henry VII.

Cherchez la femme

And I swear I spotted this before I saw Princes in the Tower (2005)

[cricket]

Reagans house will be the Kenyans library parking lot..

Funny; did read 'about that'. Yes; it is amazing.

Hard enough getting 'Justice' for some deserving Presidents; seems to much to hope for; to see just a little 'poetic Justice' for our current one. 'If only'.

[beaversmom]

Say what you want, but the facial reconstruction is just plain cool.

I love that kind of thing. I love the one guy that does reconstructions in the U.S. for missing persons. He did it for that famous killer they featured on America's Most Wanted. Oh geez, trying to think of both of their names. The killer's name would probably come to me sooner. Murdered his family in CT in 60's or 70's and started a new life. Anyway, the guy that does them has a 6th sense about it.

Found it: John List was the murderer.

America's Most Wanted, John List

When cops saw List, they were shocked. He looked exactly like Frank Bender's bust -- right down to the glasses.

Frank Bender

Wow, through You Tube found out Frank Bender had/has Stage 4 lung cancer as of 2011. I wonder if he's still alive.

Frank Bender; Forensic Sculptor, video discussing his lung cancer

[beaversmom]

Yep, Frank Bender died in 2011.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Bender

Francis Augustus “Frank” Bender (June 16, 1941 – July 28, 2011) was a world-renowned autodidact forensic artist and fine artist. He made facial reconstructions of the dead based on their skeletons, and of fugitives based on out of date photographs, with his reconstructions showing how they might look in the present day.

[Tennessee Nana]

But why does he look like Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia ???

another cousin ???

[Moonmad27]

I’m thinking Alan Rickman as Severus Snape when I see the Richard face (not just because I’m a Snapefan).

Interesting to read the tweets of the British about this — actors and other famous folk are fascinated by this news!

[kelly4c]

Not guilty:)

[beaversmom]

Interesting to read the tweets of the British about this — actors and other famous folk are fascinated by this news!

Neat! If you have time, you'll have to share some of the more interesting tweets. I had to look up Severus Snape. I've seen some Harry Potters, some bits and pieces, but have never been dedicated with it. Love Rickman's voice. He and Jeremy Irons have great voices. Found this on YT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5qloszXpJw

[Conservative4Ever]

Looks a little like Ben Affleck.

[Does so]

The USSR was rough on their leaders: even after death, their successors would go back to their graves and re-inter them—turning them over—with their faces downwards!

[The KG9 Kid]

Is that right? Startling how the modern reconstructions looks just like the oil paintings. Down to the haircut and hat, yet.

[ottbmare]

The article said they clapped a wig and appropriate hat on the reconstruction; that makes it a little easier to judge how much the reconstruction looks like the post-death portraits. I think the reconstruction is far more youthful and actually a little effeminate. The jawline of the reconstruction, which was done from the skull rather than from the artist’s memory, is less pointy than in the paintings.

Why would you be surprised that a portrait and a reconstruction look alike? It’s a useful exercise to see if the bone structure and muscle attachments are consistent with the portraits—in other words, how accurate were the portraits? This suggests that they were mostly on target.

[RegulatorCountry]

He almost seems to have Asian epicanthal folds. Any basis i. Reality for that or are we feeling the need for diversity now with facial reconstructions of skeletal remains from the British Isles?

Why don’t they go all in and do him up with scales or feathers and weave a fascinating yarn about how global warming did him in? Seems to work without question in other areas of anthropology.

Nice hat, by the way. What skeletal structure or genetic clue led to such an impressive inclusion?

[RegulatorCountry]

That’s better than what happened to a certain “anti-pope” who was dug up by his successor, put on trial posthumously, corpse mutilated, burned and ashes thrown in the river.

[GOPJ]

Now that’s funny... Thanks for sharing.

[Moonmad27]

I just became a fan of Snape — a decade late! Thanks to tumblr, fanpop and deviantart.com, I’ve found Snape and Alan fandom is VERY active and creative. Rickman’s voice is amazing — he recorded The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy years ago and there’s a reason it’s still a popular audiobook!

[Moonmad27]

That youtube video is one of the best — thanks for reminding me of it! Each of his lines have become classics.

[cricket]

The USSR was rough on their leaders: even after death, their successors would go back to their graves and re-inter them—turning them over—with their faces downwards!

Never heard/read/'knew' that! Good grief. Well; 'sick does' as 'sick is'. . .and no question to the sickness-at-hand. In a word. . .ghouls at work.