Face to face with the forgotten residents of Bristol’s Anatomical Collection: a long term study to bring the faces of Bristol’s historical skeletal collection to life.

The facial reconstruction presented has been created as part of a long term project to bring the unknown faces of the dissection room to life, and in doing so commemorating in memoriam our unknown but invaluable silent teachers who’s shoulders so many of us stand upon.
As part of a long term project to bring the unknown faces of the dissection room to life, the first facial reconstruction of a past subject is presented and the process behind its production will be explained. This unknown subject also memoralises the many unrecognised subjects and invaluable silent teachers on who’s shoulders we stand and is an effective memorial.
Just like most anatomy departments across the UK, the University of Bristol and the School of Anatomy houses modern and historical collections, including numerous skeletal collections – many of which predate modern day bequethal processes and record keeping. This means in reality, when it comes to our osteological subjects, we simply have no idea who resides permanently within our dissection room, and who’s bones still teaches our 800+ student body every year.
This facial reconstruction presented has brought just one of many of such people back to life – an undertaking of both anthropological and anatomical assessment, mixed with artistic skill, to create the closest possible scientific likeness.
Using scientific techniques, this skull was determined to have belonged to a Caucasoid type male, aged between 30 and 50 at time of death. The cause of death is unknown.
Based on the skeletal landmarks of the unknown skull, and appropriate tissue depth data for his anthropological assessment, the face was sculpted with wax, and built back up layer by layer using the Manchester Method of reconstruction, with the different shapes and sizes of skull features telling us much about the unique appearance of the soft tissue of his face.
The long term aims of the wider project are to assess and catalogue the skull collection at Bristol, with particular interest in the historical pre HTA, pre records skulls within the School, with the hope to uncover more about who our unknown anatomy subjects are, and bringing further faces of our Bristol anatomy subjects to life; to acknowledge and memorialise their contribution to the anatomical education of thousands of students who have passed through the doors of the dissection room.