REGIONE SICILIANAAssessorato Regionale dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana

Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità SicilianaPalermo

Soprintendenza per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali Agrigento

STORIE SEPOLTERiti, culti e vita quotidiana all’alba del IV millennio a.C.

La necropoli dell’età del rame di contrada Scintilia di Favara

a cura di Domenica Gullì

Storie sepolte: Riti, culti e vita quotidiana all’alba del 4. millennio : catalogo della mostra / a cura di Domenica Gullì. - Palermo : Regione siciliana, Assessorato dei beni culturali e dell’identità siciliana, Dipartimento dei beni culturali e dell’identità siciliana, 2014. ISBN 978-88-6164-275-11. Oggetti di scavo <Necropoli ; Favara> - Preistoria - Cataloghi di esposizioni.I. Gullì, Domenica <1961->.937.801 CDD-22 SBN Pal0276424

CIP - Biblioteca centrale della Regione siciliana “Alberto Bombace”

Coordinamento generaleCaterina Greco (Soprintendente BB.CC.AA. di Agrigento)

Responsabile U.O. Beni Archeologici Giuseppe Alongi

Progetto e Direzione scientifica Domenica Gullì Responsabile Procedimento Salvatore Donato

GraficaFabio Santamaria

AllestimentoAllestimenti Museali Giuseppe Floridia Scavi archeologiciANAS (Legge Obiettivo) Gestore del contratto - Empedocle s.c.p.a.

Ditta esecutrice dei lavori di scavo Cooperativa Archeologia

Collaborazione allo scavoClaudia Speciale, Tiziana Fontebrera, Fausto D’Angelo, Fabio Santamaria, Maria Assunta Papa, Giovanni Salvo Operatori dello scavo Camillo Sartorio, Alfonso Bongiorno, Osvaldo Vaccaro, Marco Prestia

Restauro dei materiali archeologici Franco Termine, Marilanda Rizzo Pinna Disegno e dei materiali archeologici Manola Cotroneo Disegni di ricostruzioni di ambienti preistorici Lucia Stefanetti

Analisi radiocarbonicheFilippo Terrasi

Analisi radiologiche Alfonso Lo Zito Analisi antropologica Valentina Giuliana Analisi delle dentature Michele D’Alessandro Analisi archeozoologiche Maurizio Di Rosa Analisi paleonutrizionali Robert H. Tykot, Andrea Vianello

Analisi microbiologicaSheryl Smith Analisi di antropologia forense Suzanne Matlock

Fotografie dei materiali archeologici Manlio Nocito, Angelo Pitrone ComunicazioneVincenzo Cucchiara

Regia del Docu-filmNicolangelo De Bellis Consulenza scientifica e script editing Davide Tanasi Riprese filmiche Vito Tota Post-produzione Nicola Giornetta Realizzazione e animazione 3D Alberto Busini

FinalizzazioneNicola Giornetta

Musiche ‘Florian Genus’ di Suardi – Trendaudio

SOMMARIO

PresentazioniAntonino PurpuraAssessore Regionale dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità SicilianaSalvatore Giglione Dirigente Generale Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità SicilianaCaterina Greco, Soprintendente per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali di Agrigento

ContributiDomenica Gullì p. 11La necropoli preistorica di contrada Scintilia: dallo scavo alla divulgazione Claudia Speciale, Valentina Giuliana p. 19 La tomba 8 Tiziana Fontebrera, Valentina Giuliana p. 27 La tomba 4 Valentina Giuliana p. 31 Considerazioni sull’analisi antropologica degli inumati delle tombe 8 e 4Michele D’Alessandro, Angela Siculella p. 33Paleopatologia dentaria degli inumati delle tombe 8 e 4 Filippo Terrasi, p. 39I dati della cronologia assoluta Daniela Cocchi Genick p. 45 Le evidenze di contrada Scintilia nell’ambito dei rituali funerari dell’età del rame Robert Tykot, Andrea Vianello p. 55 I dati delle analisi paleonutrizionali Sheryl Smith p. 61 Isolation, purification and analysis of ancient DNA from remains found in the Scintilia tombs in Sicily Alfonso Lo Zito p. 65Diagnostica per immagini al servizio dell’archeologia: i crani della necropoli di ScintiliaSuzanne Matlock, Michael Darfler, Davide Tanasi p. 67 Forensic facial reconstruction of a woman from Copper Age Sicily: the case study of Scintilia (Agrigento)Maurizio Di Rosa p. 81 Analisi archeozoologiche: Lucia Stefanetti p. 87 Rappresentare la storia. Disegno e ricostruzione grafica in archeologiaDavide Rizzo Pinna, Marilanda Rizzo Pinna p. 95Tra il reale e il virtuale: il 3D nel restauroDavide Tanasi, Nicolangelo de Bellis, Vito Tota, Alberto Busini, Nicola Giornetta p. 99 Storie Sepolte: un caso di edutainment applicato all’archeologia preistorica siciliana

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Introduction

This paper deals with an interdisciplinary scientific project promoted by the Arcadia University focusing on the extraordinary discovery of very well preserved skeletal remains at the Copper Age necropolis of Scintilia (Agrigento) unveiled by the archaeologists of the Soprintendenza di Agrigento. Besides the study for the extraction and amplification of the ancient DNA from the individuals found in the tombs (Smith, this volume) and the digital reconstruction of the tombs and the related environment inside of them (Tanasi et alii, this volume), the most innovative aspect of the project has been represented by the forensic facial reconstruction of the individual 2 of the tomb 4, a young woman, nick named Sofia. The starting phase of the research consisted in a CAT exam of the skull of Sofia (Lo Zito, this volume) in order to obtain as many high resolution CAT slice images as possible. Subsequently the digital data have been elaborate with the software Invesalius 3.O to create the 3D model of the skull itself ; Tanasi et alii, this volume). The file has been delivered to the research associates of Arcadia University and the Department of Making + Doing at Philadelphia, where after a further processing it has been used to create a physical replica of the skull via a 3D printer. On that replica an Arcadia University forensic sculptor has worked in order to recreate approximately the original facial traits of Sofia.

3D printing technique: methods and issues

3-D printing is considered a form of additive manufacturing (AM). Traditional manufacturing techniques are generally considered subtractive in that one begins with a large block or billet of material and then slowly removes the unwanted material until a final object is achieved. In the case of 3-D printing, material is built up layer upon layer to achieve the final result. There are many different types of AM processes but here we will discuss what is know as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF).FDM was first developed in the late 1980’s by Scott Crump who then patented the technology and started Stratasys in the 1990’s. For the next 20 years Stratasys cornered the market of 3-D printing until the expiration of their patent in 2009 (https://www.google.com/patents/US5121329). In recent years there has been an explosion of FDM printers on the market, driving costs down and quality up. Most recently, Make Magazine completed their annual survey of 3-D printing and reviewed 42 different 3-D printing systems (http://makezine.com/volume/make-42/). The technology behind FDM has been described by some as a numerically controlled hot glue gun. The 1989 US patent by Crumb describes the printer this way:

[An] apparatus incorporating a movable dispensing head provided with a supply of material which solidifies at a predetermined temperature, and a base member, which are moved relative to each other along “X,” “Y,” and “Z” axes in a predetermined pattern to create three-dimensional objects by building up material discharged from the

dispensing head onto the base member at a controlled rate. 

In this way, material (plastic, wax, chocolate, etc.) is extruded from a head and laid down in a precise way so as to build an object layer by layer. In order to create the instructions for the machine to follow a 3-D model must first be created first in another program. (There are many methods of doing this

Forensic facial reconstruction of a woman from Copper Age Sicily: the case study of Scintilia (Agrigento)

Suzanne Matlock* – Michael Darfler** – Davide Tanasi***

* Arcadia University, Department of Art and Design; email: swmatlock@gmail.com  ** Department of Making + Doing (Philadelphia); email: mdarfler@sciencecenter.org

*** Arcadia University, The College of Global Studies (Arcadia Sicily Center); email: tanasid@ardadia.edu

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which are beyond the scope of this paper). Most 3-D printers use the .stl file format, though others are available. This file format represents a 3-D object as a set of triangles that approximate the surface in much the same way that computer graphics are represented. This file is then sent to a slicing engine that converts the 3-D object into a stack of 2-D objects sliced at equal intervals along the z-axis parallel to the x-y plane. The information generated from the slicing engine can then be used to generate the GCode, which is essential a set of coordinates that the printer moves through in order to create the object.The skull of the individual 2 from tomb 4 was scanned and converted into a 3-D model using a CT-Scanner. The file was received as a .stl, but due to the amount of information in the file pre processing was required before it was ready to print. This required two separate programs and three different steps.

The file arrived with over 1.76 million polygons, which is far too many for FDM (http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/polygon_reduction_with_meshlab). The first program used was Rhinoceros 3D. Using this program the file was culled of extraneous information, which brought the file down to ~810,000 polygons. Next, the Rhinoceros command _ReduceMesh was used to bring the polygon count down by 2/3rds for a total of 275, 551 polygons. In this way much of the information of the original file was preserved while greatly reducing print times.

The last operation in preprocessing was to ensure a continuous, ‘water tight,’ outer shell. This makes printing faster and easier. The cleaned and reduced file was exported from Rhinoceros and imported into AutoDesk’s MeshMixer. Using the command “Make Solid” the model was automatically checked for and repair holes, discontinuities, self overlaps and other problems that could interfere with the printing (Fig. 1).

Once the file was ready for printing the file was then imported into Cura, an open source program that combines a slicer engine and GCode sender into one program (Fig 2). The options were set for a 100μm z-axis resolution with a 15% fill. (objects, rather than being printed solid are filled with a square lattice which provides rigidity while reducing weight, material and printing time). To improve printing times, the printing speed of the infill was increased to 125mm/s while the shell speed was reduced to 50mm/s to maintain overall quality. A support structure was also employed to avoid unsupported overhangs that can lead to poor quality prints. These settings were used by the slicer engine and the GCode sender to create the GCode instructions for the printer. This information was saved to a removable drive and The Ultimaker also uses a heated build plate that improves first-layer adhesion as well as reduces warping

Fig. 1. The 3D model under processing with Rhinoceros

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Fig. 2. The 3D model under processing with Cura

The 3D model ready to be sent to the Ultimaker 2 3D printer

transferred to the 3-D Printer. The 3-D printer used for the creation of the model was an Ultimaker2 (Figs. 3, 4). This printer has a maximum resolution of 60μm in the z-axis and a 230mm x 225mm x 205mm build volume.

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of parts. Poly Lactic Acid (PLA), a corn based plastic, was chosen for the build material because of its stability and ease of printing. Total printing time was 52 hrs. and consumed 63.55 meters of filament weighing 503 grams (Fig. 5).

History of the technique for 3D facial reconstruction

The more modern history of forensic facial reconstruction is directly tied to the scientific work and theories of anatomists and physical anthropologists. The two-dimensional method of reconstruction preceded the three-dimensional method in history at the hand of the German Dr. Hermann Welcker. As early as 1883, then director of the anatomical institute at Halle an der Saale, Welcker made comparisons of the known skulls of the 18th century German Dramatist, Friedrich von Schiller and famous German philosopher Immanuel Kant, to their portraits. And one year later, he confirmed the identity of the skull of Italian Renaissance painter, Raphael, by the same means (Krogman 1962; Prag e Neave 1997).

By 1895, Wilhem His, Professor of Anatomy at the University of Leipzig, had published a three-dimensional reconstruction of Bach’s face from the skull based on his precise measurements of facial tissue depths of cadaver heads. To begin with, His collected tissue depth data by using a thin needle bearing a small rubber piece that would ride upward on the needle as it was pushed into the tissue of cadavers. The needle was placed at right angles to the bone and pressed into the tissue until its point touched the bone. The displacement of the rubber was measured and recorded for15 specific locations on 24 male and four female suicide victims along with nine men who died of wasting illnesses (Krogman 1962, 358-359). His cast a copy of the skull that was found with the presumed remains of the composer and Leipzig sculptor Carl Seffner built up the flesh on the cast skull.

Kollmann, a Swiss anatomist and Büchly, a Swiss sculptor continued tissue depth research by measuring tissue thicknesses on cadavers at 23 locations. They supplemented His’ data in 1898 by categorizing the body sizes as thin, very thin, well-nourished and very well-nourished and averaged His’ data with theirs (Taylor 2001, 348-349). In 1946, the American Dr. Wilton Krogman enlisted sculptor Mary Ann McCue in an experiment. Krogman obtained and photographed a male cadaver. He provided the cleaned skull, tissue depth data for males and little other guidance, while McCue constructed a bust of

Fig. 4. The Ultimaker2 3D printer Fig. 5. The physical replica of the skull

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the deceased beginning with the accurate placement of tissue depth markers upon the skull (Taylor 2001, 364). Krogman’s measurements of the finished sculpture veered from his measurements of the cadaver in only two of the 23 locations and all of the features along the mid-sagittal plane were within +/- 4 mm. Krogman concluded that “the use of schedules of tissue thicknesses to model a head from the skull is a useful procedure. Certainly eyes, nose, mouth, ears, can be reconstructed as part of the physiognomic restoration.” (Krogman 1962, 265-274).

By the early 1980s, the Kollman/Büchly data was replaced by that collected by anthropologist Dr. Stanley Rhine and his colleagues from American cadavers, while at the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology (New Mexico) (Rhine e Moore 1984). Rhine’s tables of tissue depths, organized by gender, race, and body build, are the principal data employed in the textbook, Scientific Art and Illustration. Two chapters of this text are co-written by Betty Pat. Gatliff, a pioneer in the field of forensic facial reconstruction. As these chapters provide a holistic set of instructions for using tissue depth data to perform a three-dimensional reconstruction on the skull (Taylor 2011, 325-360, 419-475), the method will not be repeated here.

By 1984, Richard P. Helmer was using ultrasonic measuring techniques to gather tissue depth data which he categorized by gender, race and age (Taylor 2001, 349). Data on the tissue depths for children in various age groups, categorized by race, were developed in 1998 by Mary Manhein using ultrasound, as well (Manhein et alii 2000).

Data from semi-automated ultrasound measurements on live subjects offer two distinct improvements over data collected by older measurement techniques on cadavers. First, measurements may be easily taken in the upright position on living subjects. The natural effects of gravity on living tissue are inherent in tissue depths measured in this way, while post-mortem data from supine cadavers exhibit discrepancies in the tissue depths. Second, a living subject does not exhibit post-mortem phenomena such as dehydration and putrefaction, which affect the soft tissue depth measurements (De Greef et alii 2006, 126-146).

Based on observations and expertise, the physical anthropologist leading the archaeological study has determined the specimens to be Caucasian, one male and the other female. Therefore, for this reconstruction, the authors elected to use the most recent and comprehensive set of tissue depth data acquired by ultrasound measurements for Caucasian specimens, by S. DeGreef, et al. (De Greef et alii 2006, 126-146). The data is organized by age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). The pertinent data, along with some additional data provided for the sake of comparison, may be found in Table 1.

Pictorial summary of the facial reconstruction of the individual 2 from tomb 4

Two planes of reference serve the process of reconstruction, the mid-sagittal plane which divides the head and face into two symmetrical halves and the Frankfort horizontal. The latter is established by drawing an imaginary line across the side of the head connecting the lower edge of the orbit and the upper edge of the auditory meatus (opening of the ear), as shown in Figure 6. Before reconstruction, the skull must be mounted on a dowel rod, in the Frankfort horizontal plane, to approximate the most natural position of the head in life, as shown in Figure 7.

The skeletal landmark positions which correspond to tissue depth data, are identified as shown in Figures 8 and 9, and marked directly on the model of the skull.

The specimen’s race, gender, age, and body mass index (BMI) are to be determined by an expert in such subject matter and are to be provided to the reconstructionist, as the direction in which to proceed. Machine eraser strips are measured accurately, using a Boley-style sliding gauge, and cut to lengths

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according to the tissue depth data that is appropriate to the demographics of the specimen. Figure 10 shows the set of tissue depth markers that will be used in the reconstruction of the female specimen, approximate age 30-35 years and with a BMI less than 20 (i.e., lean).

Refer to Table 1 for the tissue depth data. A pair of prosthetic eyes of a dark brown color was selected for this project, on the advice of the archaeologist. Prosthetic eyes are set into the orbits such that the pupils are oriented in the center, both horizontally and vertically, as shown in Figures 11 and 12. The most anterior surface of the prosthetic eye must be flush with the surface of the bones both above and below the orbits, as shown in Figure 7. Duco rubber cement is used to affix the tissue depth markers to the skeletal landmarks previously marked on the model.

It may be observed that the mandible is absent from the specimen shown. Therefore, the skeletal landmarks corresponding to tissue depth at locations 7, 8, 9, and 10 along the mid-sagittal line are absent and these tissue depth markers are unable to be placed. In addition, the bilateral landmarks corresponding to tissue depth at locations 20, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, and 31 are either damaged or absent. Other landmarks essential to the accurate development of a nose, such as the end of the nasal bones and the nasal spine are absent. These problems must be solved, in order to complete the 3-D facial

Fig. 6. Planning the reconstruction, side Fig. 7. Planning the reconstruction, front

Fig. 9. Application plan of the tissue depth markers, front (from De Greef et alii 2006).

Fig. 8. Application plan of the tissue depth markers, side (from De Greef et alii 2006).

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reconstruction with any meaningful result.

Effective solutions may be found among the anthropological research done by Sassouni (1957, 1958, and 1959) and Krogman and Sassouni (1957). Using medical imaging (x-rays), they developed “canons of proportions” for the human cranium that may be applied to cases in which the skull is found without maxillary teeth and mandible, in order to reconstruct the entire face. Sassouni established that the distance between two vertical lines drawn along the outer edges of the orbitals, as shown in Figure 13, indicates the width of the mandible at its most inferior, posterior and lateral point (the gonion). When an equilateral triangle is placed with its apex at the tip of the nasal bones, its base indicates the height of the gonion from the mounting surface.

Fig. 10. Set of tissue depth markers

Fig. 11. Application of the tissue depth markers and the prosthetic eyes, front

Fig. 12. Application of the tissue depth markers and the prosthetic eyes, side

Fig. 14. Technical reconstruction of the missing mandible, side

Fig. 13. Technical reconstruction of the missing mandible, front.

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Tab. 1.

In the case of the female specimen in this study, normal two dimensional photography was used instead of radiography, because the model is made from poly-lactic acid, which does not respond to x-rays. However, the same principles were applied to the specimen after it was mounted in the Frankfort horizontal position. A tissue depth marker was put in the position of the vertical lines to indicate the height of the gonion from the surface and in Figure 14, showing the posterior-to-anterior view, the black horizontal line “e” was added as a guideline for sculpting the gonion at the appropriate location.

Sassouni’s system for the “analysis of individuality” makes use of four planes of reference and to basic arcs, with point “o” as their centers. As applied to the female specimen, the horizontal line “b” in Figure 14 was drawn so as to pass through the base of the nasal aperture where the nasal spine is expected to occur. The anterior arc was formed by drawing a circle large enough and so aligned as to pass through the lowest point on the bridge of the nose and the nasal spine (estimated). The point at which the center of the anterior arc intersects the horizontal “b” is designated as point “o” after which three additional

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planes were established:“a”: the plane that intersects the frontal eminence and point “o”,“c”: the plane that intersects the occlusion of the incisors and point “o”, and“d”: the plane that intersects the height of the gonion (“e”) and point “o”.

Assumptions made in the case of the female specimen are the length of the nasal spine (i.e., where to intersect the anterior arc and the horizontal “b”) and the point of occlusion of the teeth, which was assumed to be the most inferior, anterior point of cranium. Therefore, the restoration of the lower portion of the face is somewhat speculative. It assumes that the face is relatively straight (orthognathos) and that the teeth meet properly. This technique has been proven to produce an acceptable approximation of cranio-facial proportions in many cases of unidentified remains and is justified for the subject purposes.

The posterior arc was formed by a circle concentric with point “o”, which was drawn large enough and so aligned as to intersect the root of the zygomatic arch and the horizontal “e”. The latter intersection instructs the sculptor in the location of the angle of the mandible. In the case of the female specimen, the location of the root of the zygomatic arch was estimated to be slightly anterior and superior to a skeletal landmark that appears to be an auditory meatus (ear opening) on the right side of the cranium.

The sculpting process requires non-drying, non-hardening oil-based modeling clay that is easily hand pliable at room temperature. An armature of sorts was built of wooden slats, on the mounting base, to

Fig. 16. The reconstructed mandible, sideFig. 15. Technical reconstruction of the missing mandible, theory and practice

Fig. 17 .Model at the end of the technical phase, right side

Fig. 18. Model at the end of the technical phase, left side

Fig. 19. Model at the end of the technical phase, front

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Fig. 20 .Construction of mouth, step one Fig. 21. Construction of mouth, step two

Fig. 22. Construction of nose. Fig. 23a. Construction of right ear, step one

Fig. 23b. Construction of ear right (3quarter) Fig. 24. Model complete with eyelashes and eyebrows, front.

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Fig. 25. Model complete with eyelashes and eyebrows, quarter left.

Fig. 26. Model complete with eyelashes and eyebrows, quarter right

Fig. 27. Model complete with eyelashes and eyebrows, right side.

Fig. 28. Model complete with eyelashes and eyebrows, left side.

Fig. 29. Virtual time lapse of production pipeline: the skull, the 3D model, the physical replica, the model with reconstructed facial features.

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support the clay. Guided by the planes and arcs seen in Figure 14, the basic dimensions of the mandible were built up and secured. The interim result may be seen in Figures 15 and 16, in which the sculpted cranium is superimposed on Figure 14 at two levels of opacity.

Adjustments were made to ensure the appropriate fit to the calculated angle of the mandible. In the case of the female specimen, the right side is the better preserved while the left side appears to be distorted. It is impossible to determine whether the asymmetry was present during the life of the subject or it was introduced after death by the forces in the environment where it was eventually found. Relying on the basic symmetry of human features, the author adjusted the left aspect of the sculpture to better align with the right aspect, so as to produce a feasible representation of the individual with less distortion.

To continue with the technical phase of the facial reconstruction, tissue depth markers are affixed to the newly sculpted mandible. In a systematic manner (Taylor 2001) tissue depth markers are connected by strips of clay that graduate in thickness so as to make a smooth transition from one to the next. For example, when bridging the gap between marker #1 and marker #2, in the female subject (BMI < 20), a clay strip was made approximately 1 cm wide that, at one end measured 3.7 mm thick and at the other end measured 4.2 mm thick. This strip was only as long as the distance between the markers and was thus fit into the space between them, with the thicker end meeting marker #2. In this manner, the clay strips act as an extension of the tissue depth markers and serve to maintain the accuracy of the reconstruction.

The roughly rectangular area where the eyes, nose and mouth occur, is to be left open during this part of the process. They are to be added during the artistic phase of the process which is concerned with the development of the individual’s features. The appearance of the sculpture is angular and rough at the end of the technical phase, as shown in Figures 17- 19.

Proceeding with the artistic phase (Figs. 20-23), and following Krogman’s 1962 text, the organs of sense are developed, beginning with the closed mouth: “The width of the mouth is approximately the same as inter-pupillary distance; or, alternatively, the distance between two lines radiating out for the junction of the canine and first pre-molar on each side.” The depth of the lips is according to the tissue depths in Table 1, #6 for the upper and #7 for the lower. Lastly the area of the skull covered by the lips is the distance between the same two markers.

Following Krogman 1962: “The width of the bony nasal aperture, in Caucasoids, is about three-fifths of the total nasal width as measured across the wings. The projection of the nose is approximately three times the length of the nasal spine […] The most lateral part of the cartilaginous portion of the ear tube is 5 mm above, 2.6 mm behind and 9.6 mm lateral to the most lateral part of the bony portion of the ear tube […] The ear length (from top to bottom) is often roughly equal to nose length.” Ears are constructed separately from the skull to help ensure that they are as alike as possible. They are affixed to the skull behind the angle of the jaw, over the auditory meatus, and angled backwards at approximately 15 degrees.

The eyes are developed by fitting upper and lower eyelids inside the orbits and representing the pink tissue at their inner corners. Brows may be detailed at this stage as well.

A neck may be constructed as desired and the finishing details are added for a realistic look. The cheeks are contoured with consideration given to the age of the subject at time of death. Likewise the skin may be textured with wrinkles and facial hair, as applicable to age and gender. Coloration may be added with powdered cosmetics; hair may be sculpted or a wig of appropriate color may be used (Figs. 24-26).

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Conclusion

Although the entire intact cranium of the female specimen was not available, a significant and sufficient number of features were present to enable a reasonable approximation of the ancient individual’s appearance in life. Three-dimensional printing was used to construct a model of the skull so as to limit damage to the specimen that may have been otherwise caused by the sculpting process. Accepted practices of forensic science were applied in order to reconstruct the missing mandible. Limited and prudent assumptions were made to bridge some gaps in the skeletal record. It is therefore concluded that the final sculpture is representative of a young woman who lived in Sicily approximately in the 4th millennium BC.

References

Krogman W. M. 1962, The Human Skeleton in Forensic Medicine, Springfield.Prag J., Neave R. 1997, Making Faces Using Forensic and Archeological Evidence, Texas University Press.Taylor K. T. 2001, Forensic Art and Illustration, CRC Press.Rhine J. S., Moore C. E. 1984, Tables of facial tissue thickness of American Caucasoids in forensic anthropology, Maxwell Museum Technical Series.Manhein M. H., Listi G. A., Barsley R. E., Musselman R., Barrow N. E., Ubelaker D. H. 2000, In vivo facial tissue depth measurements for children and adults, Journal of Forensic Science 45, , pp. 48-60.De Greef S., Claes P., Vandermuelen D., Mollemans W., Suetens P., Willems G. 2006, Large-scale in-vivo Caucasian facial soft tissue thickness database for craniofacial reconstruction, Forensic Science International 159S, pp. 126-146. Sassouni V. 1957, Palatoprint, physioprint, and roentgenographic cephalometry as new methods in human identification (preliminary report), Journal of Forensic Science 2.4,pp. 429-443.Sassouni V. 1958, Physical individuality and the problem of identification, Temple Law Quarterly 31.4.Sassouni V. 1959, Cephalometric identification: a proposed method for identification of war-dead by means of roentgenographic cephalometry, Journal of Forensic Science 4.1.Krogman W. M., Sassouni V. 1957, A Syllabus of Roentgenographic Cephalometry, University of Pennsylvania.

Riassunto: Il presente contributo tratta di una ricerca interdisciplinare unica nel suo genere, promossa e coordinata dalla Soprintendenza di Agrigento e dall’Arcadia University, e che prende le mosse dalla scoperta di una piccola necropoli eneolitica (prima metà IV millennio a.C.) in contrada Scintilia nel territorio di Favara (Agrigento). Nonostante lo stato di conservazione degli scheletri non fosse ottimale, si è tentata la ricostruzione facciale forense di uno degli individui, le cui condizioni del cranio erano migliori. Il caso studio scelto è l’individuo no. 2 della tomba 4, una giovane donna soprannominata “Sofia”. Il progetto si è articolato attraverso diversi step. La fase iniziale si è svolta in Sicilia ed è stata rappresentata da un esame TAC del cranio e dalla elaborazione informatica delle immagini TAC in modo da produrre un modello 3D ad alta risoluzione del cranio. Il file del modello 3D è stato successivamente spedito negli Stati Uniti dove è stato ulteriormente elaborato ed utilizzato per stampare una copia fisica in polilattato (PLA) presso il Department of Making + Doing di Philadelphia. Successivamente, uno scultore forense di Arcadia University ha avviato su di essa il processo di ricostruzione facciale. I principi della ricostruzione di elementi facciali direttamente al di sopra di un cranio, o di una sua copia, può essere applicato con successo alla ricerca archeologica, modellando a parte le porzioni facciali più fragili ed in seguito scolpendo al di sopra del cranio stesso. Lo scopo è quello di una raffigurazione approssimativa dei tratti somatici di un individuo antico, sulla base di uno o più crani meglio preservati con caratteristiche affini. Le tradizionali tecniche di scultura forense, quali l’applicazione di marcatori di profondità tessutale e l’applicazione di argilla per modellazione sono serviti a restituire con un buon margine di approssimazione l’aspetto del volto di Sofia che per millenni era rimasto nell’oblio.

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