Scientists have shown what Egypt's greatest pharaoh looked like shortly before his death (8 photos)

Brazilian graphic designer Cicero Moraes used 3D modeling to recreate the appearance of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II, who ruled in the 13th century BC, with amazing accuracy. Now we can see what Ramesses II looked like at the age of about 90, in the last days of his life.





The facial reconstruction was created using computed tomography (CT) scans of Ramesses II's skull and modern facial reconstruction techniques. The result was a three-dimensional model. According to her, the pharaoh had an elongated face, with a high forehead and a narrow chin.

The resulting image is a remarkably realistic portrait of a powerful man who held power for many years and goes down in history as one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs.



“Our research reveals the face of a sage, a pharaoh who ruled Egypt for more than 60 years and left an indelible mark on history,” said Cicero Moraes, known for his facial reconstructions from the skull.

Scientists used hundreds of sources, including DNA data and anthropometric studies, to provide an accurate and believable portrait. In the image we see the weathered face of an elderly man, which has characteristic appearance features that are also noticeable on the surviving giant statues of Ramses II (they still stand in Egypt).





However, it turned out that the facial features of the statues differ from the real appearance of the pharaoh. “We tried our best to make the reconstruction as believable as possible,” says Moraes. “But we also wanted to convey the wisdom and authority that Ramses II had at the end of his life.”

The team faced a number of problems in recreating the appearance of the pharaoh. The face and teeth were severely worn, indicating poor health in the last years of his life. In addition, Ramesses II had a pronounced overbite.



“In this study, we carried out a very broad analysis, comparing the reconstructed face with statues of Ramesses II,” says Moraes. “The goal was to understand how “reliable” the statues are and whether they can be relied on. We found that not really. Statues of Ramesses II have a thinner forehead and more pronounced lips and chin.



We also analyzed anthropometric data and DNA data of the ancient Egyptian population, and everything indicates that the population was very heterogeneous, which is difficult to standardize. We also used data from an old (1976) study of the mummified remains of a pharaoh found in 1881. Collating all the data helped us get a more complete picture.”



“We are very pleased with the result,” adds the reenactor. “We have created a scientifically based portrait that gives us a glimpse into the final days of one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs.”



The result also appeared similar to a previous 2022 reconstruction by Sahar Salim of Cairo University and Caroline Wilkinson of Liverpool John Moores University. They also used a 3D model of the skull. They then reversed the aging process, turning back time almost half a century to show the face of the pharaoh in his prime.

The result, Salim said, was a “very handsome” ruler. “My idea of ​​the face of Ramesses II was influenced by the face of his mummy,” she explained. “However, facial reconstruction helped give the mummy a living face. I believe that the reconstructed face shows us a very handsome Egyptian with facial features characteristic of Ramesses II - a pronounced nose and a strong jaw."



The facial reconstruction of Ramesses II not only provides insight into the appearance of one of ancient Egypt's most famous pharaohs, but also demonstrates the potential of CT scanning and other modern techniques to reveal the appearance of historical figures.