Scientists have reconstructed the face of a medieval knight, who was killed 700 years ago, through state-of-the-art forensic techniques.
A team at Dundee University constructed a computer image of what the mysterious skeleton, uncovered underneath a chapel at Stirling Castle in 1997, may have looked like, and hopes to be able to uncover more details about his origins.
Tests revealed that the warrior was about 5 feet 7 inches and in his twenties when he died, and that he was “a very strong and fit nobleman, with the physique of a professional rugby player”, the British media reported.
According to the scientists, the man may have been killed by a sword which struck him through his nose and jaw, with the blow most likely coming as he lay on the ground. The team has also found evidence of wounds he had previously suffered in battle, such as the head of an arrow stuck in his chest and a dent to his skull, most likely caused by a blow from an axe.
Dr Richard Strachan, senior archaeologist at Historic Scotland, was quoted as saying, “The facial reconstruction of the knight gives a powerful impression of what a warrior who died in the 1300s may have looked like.”
Some experts believe the skeleton, which was buried near the royal apartments of the castle in the early 14th century, was the English knight Robert Morley, who was killed in a tournament at the castle in 1388.
Dr Jo Buckberry, who will conduct part of the work, said: “This group is highly unusual, because of where and when the people were buried, suggesting that they might have been socially important and have died during extreme events such as sieges. One of my hopes is that we will be able to find out where at least some of them originated.”