The daughter and later Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses the Great, next up on our list is Meritamen. When her mother, Ramesses’ favorite wife, Nefertari died, Meritamen took her place. Fast forward, and the skull of the “beloved of the god Amun” was discovered in the archives in a peculiar place: none other than at the University of Melbourne!
Now that would’ve made some university researcher’s day! Or year! No one seems to know how her skull managed to get on a flight to Australia. The mysterious Meritamen was a noblewoman, and it was determined that the skull was over 3,000 years old. At the time of her death, it seems she was relatively young – researchers estimate she was between 18 and 25 at the time.
Jesus Christ – Superstar?
Researchers recreated the face of one of the most famous men ever. It’s estimated that Jesus Christ was born around 4 B.C. and died quite young, around 30 – 33 A.D. For those curious people, A.D., in fact, stands for “Anno Domini” or “The Year of Our Lord.” The “Son of God" was (and still is) kind of a big deal.
Jesus Christ is perhaps the most drawn or sketched figure in history. The images you see of this face are among the most commonly found in the world. Basically, he’s very well known. Interestingly though, the painting above, which was discovered during the Middle Ages, reveals a white man with fair hair. Unlikely that the Easterners would’ve created this image! So what Jesus looked like might surprise some people.
The Shroud of Turin: A Reliable Source?
For years, the mystery of the Shroud of Turin has conjured up a lot of interest and intrigue. Believed to be the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth, it is currently safeguarded within the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. Discovered in 1354, the 14-foot linen cloth had the image of the Crucifixion with a body depicted on the fabric.
It seems that the Shroud verified the Scripture, with blood on the Shroud where his wounds were told to have been. But how can anyone prove that the Shroud did indeed belong to Jesus Christ? It is a difficult one to adjudicate, even for the most well-read and well-researched historians! In 2001, the above image, created by forensic anthropologist Richard Neave, was thought to help to settle the debate.
Putting Meritamen Back Together
It’s funny the things you find out when you examine a skull – not that we’d have any experience. It seems that the young queen had a case of tooth decay! This then matched up with the researcher’s guesses that she was born during the time of Alexander the Great, as he was the one to bring sugar to Egypt during his series of conquests.
140 hours and more were required from researchers who conducted the CT scans. Using a 3-D printer, the above figure of Meritamen was constructed. According to researchers, and by analyzing her bone structure, Meritamen was quite the looker! It was also discovered that she suffered from anemia, which was potentially related to her death, as it would’ve caused her to be weak and lethargic. Poor thing, can’t imagine it was fun with her living situation.
Saint Anthony
Saint Anthony of Padua, known as Saint Anthony of Lisbon, was a Portuguese Catholic priest, and friar of the Franciscan Order of monks. Raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, he turned to a simpler life which was devoted to the service of the Lord! His contemporaries noted his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of the scriptures, as well as his undying devotion to the poor and sick.
Much beloved by the Catholic Church, his legacy carried on to this day, despite him passing away at the young age of thirty-six! For a man who’s purportedly the saint for lost things, wouldn’t you want to have a face to imagine so you know who to direct your prayers?