January 1, Ancient Colombian Faces Uncovered With New Tech

Wyatt’s Take

• Scientists created digital faces of ancient Colombians.
• High-tech methods revealed what these people looked like centuries ago.
• The masks made by these ancient folks show incredible skill and story.

Researchers have shown us what ancient Colombians looked like for the first time using special scanning and computer programs. They took masks off old skulls and made pictures that show the faces of men who lived hundreds of years ago.

Liverpool John Moores University in the UK announced their team worked on four bodies from eastern Colombia, covering people who lived between the 1200s and late 1700s. The earliest is from 1216; the latest, from around 1797.

These men were wearing clay, wax, and resin masks, sometimes decorated with gold. Using CT scans and DNA, the team pulled the masks away digitally and rebuilt the faces underneath.

Photos now show what these folks might have looked like, and the detail in the masks is impressive. The university said, “They crafted masks for their dead with such precision that the mummified bodies appear to be alive.”

Researcher Jessica Liu explained the different head shapes were a shock, calling each skull unique in size and form. “After the conference in Cuzco, we donated the 3D replicas to ICANH [and] they were very pleased with the results,” she said.

Felipe Cárdenas-Arroyo said these masks are the only ones known to exist in Colombia right now and praised the high level of craftsmanship involved.

If you’re amazed by what we can learn about our past, stay tuned to MAN for more stories that matter to everyday Americans.

Wyatt Matters

Stories like this remind us that family, tradition, and honoring those who came before us run deep everywhere. Our roots shape who we are and hold lessons worth passing down.

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