Facial Reconstruction

In cases of decomposed remains, when it is impossible to tell the identity of the individual in the conventional ways, facial reconstruction can be used to try to bring new information forward. Facial reconstruction involves outwardly modelling the face of the individual from the skull or cast of a skull to create a likeness of that person. Once the anthropologist or forensic pathologist has determined race, gender and age, the artist works with the information to begin the reconstruction. A knowledge of the muscle structure and tissue depth markers are used to give an indication of where the soft tissues are to be placed.

2D reconstruction was created by Karen T. Taylor and is taught at the FBI Training Academy, Quantico. The technique involves drawing the face over a photograph of the skull, with tissue depth markers in place. The 2D method has proved to be successful where other avenues have failed.