Roman-era man's face reconstructed for Edinburgh exhibition

A digital reconstruction has revealed the face of a man who died on the Roman frontier in Scotland nearly 2,000 years ago, drawing on archaeological and scientific analyses of his remains. His skull and the reconstruction are scheduled to be displayed together at the National Museum of Scotland’s exhibition Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire, opening November 14, 2026, in Edinburgh. Researchers estimate the man was in his early 50s when he died at Inveresk, near Edinburgh, between AD 140 and 165. They say he came from southern Britain and travelled to the Firth of Forth. The reconstruction was created by Dr Chris Rynn using an osteoarchaeological assessment, earlier isotopic analysis and ancient DNA research. The analysis also indicated that the man had limited use of his right arm, likely because of septic arthritis affecting his elbow. A broken nose had healed. Researchers said his injuries meant he could not have swung a sword, and he was not a soldier at the time of his death. National Museums Scotland curator Fraser Hunter said the reconstruction cannot establish exactly how the man looked, but that his family and friends might have recognized the likeness. The...