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Witness History: Facial reconstruction: From mummy to murder

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Facial Reconstruction: from a Mummy to Murder

06/06/2023 GMT

Facial reconstruction: From mummy to murder

BBC World Service - Witness History, Facial reconstruction: From mummy to murder

In 1975, Richard Neave invented a method to rebuild the face of an Egyptian mummy

In 1975, Richard Neave used clay, glass eyes and a wig to rebuild the face of an Egyptian mummy. It started a career recreating the faces of the dead using the method he invented.

In 1975, British forensic artist Richard Neave used a pile of modelling clay, two prosthetic eyes and a woman’s wig to reconstruct the face of an Egyptian mummy. 

It was to be the start of a 40-year career recreating the faces of the dead using the pioneering ‘Manchester technique’ that he invented. 

And as his reputation spread worldwide, the police came calling. They needed Richard’s skills to help catch a killer, as he told Jane Wilkinson.

(Photo: Richard Neave in 2012. Credit: Bethany Clarke/Getty Images)

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