Woman's face reconstructed from 900-year-old skull

Scientists rebuilt the Kendal Woman's face using computer technology

Scientists have recreated the face of a woman from her 900-year-old skull unearthed during flood management work.

Skeletons from 14 bodies were found buried at Holy Trinity Kendal Parish Church in Kendal, Cumbria, when the Environment Agency (EA) started work on a flood management scheme in 2022.

Scientists at Liverpool John Moores University used computer technology to reconstruct the first image of what one woman might have looked like, which is currently on display at the church until Sunday.

Although most of the skeletons were crushed because they had been beneath the churchyard wall for centuries, the woman's skull was in good enough condition for the reconstruction.

The team temporarily named her the Kendal Woman, but they are inviting the public who visit the display to choose a name for her from a shortlist of 10.

"There's a variety of techniques we can apply to a body that we find, we were quite fortunate with this lady, she was reasonably intact," Stephen Dean, a senior archaeologist at the EA told BBC Radio Cumbria.

Evidence of hard life

He said they included analysis of bones, teeth and DNA, and radiocarbon dating.

"Her bones suggest she led a hard life, and our reconstruction shows the ruddy complexion of one who has worked outdoors extensively, probably in the fields which would have surrounded the town," Mr Dean said.

There were indications she had been buried without a coffin and her position in the church yard suggest she was not of high status.

Mr Dean said that was confirmed by teeth and bone analysis, which suggested she had a poor diet with little meat, fish and dairy products.

The woman, estimated to have been about 50 when she died in the 1200s, is believed to have lived in the town all of her life.

Mr Dean said the team was hoping to rebury the Kendal Woman and the other remains.

"We would like to rebury her within the church yard, we obviously have to talk to the owner of the church yard about that, but we think it's fitting that she's buried where we excavated her from, so that will be something that hopefully will happen next year."