Forensic Analysis of Ancient Skulls Yields Unbelievable New Look for Jesus

Everyone has an idea of what Jesus looks like. In Western society, Jesus is often shown as a fair-skinned man with long flowing hair, a beard, and a cream-colored robe with long sleeves.

His face is so familiar that people claim to see it on pancakes, toast, and even in a New York man’s chicken tikka masala.

But according to forensic experts, these familiar images of Jesus—from food to famous paintings—are likely inaccurate.

There have been thousands of paintings and drawings of Jesus throughout history, but no one really knows what he looked like.

The image we picture is largely influenced by famous artworks like Leonardo da Vinci’s *The Last Supper* (1498), Michelangelo’s *The Last Judgement* (1541), and El Greco’s *Christ Carrying the Cross* (1540).

In these paintings and pop culture, Jesus is often portrayed as a long-haired man, usually with blue eyes, wearing a robe and sandals.

However, there is nothing in the New Testament that describes Jesus’ appearance, and no remains have been found for a DNA analysis.

Although his true appearance remains a mystery, experts now believe they’ve created a more accurate image of Jesus.

**AI-Created Jesus**
A Dutch photographer and digital artist used artificial intelligence to create what he believes is a “historically accurate” image of Jesus.

Bas Uterwijk, who specializes in algorithmic picture synthesis, used a neural network trained on photos and paintings of thousands of faces. He combined cultural depictions of Jesus, like Leonardo da Vinci’s *Salvator Mundi* and the Shroud of Turin, adjusting the ethnicity to better fit a Middle Eastern man.

Uterwijk said he felt the traditional images of Jesus lacked historical accuracy, so he shortened the hair and beard and added elements from ancient portraits to make the image more believable for the time and place.

He said, “The result is an artistic impression of how this man could have looked, more than a scientific search for an exact likeness.”

**Forensic Reconstruction**
Meanwhile, British forensic experts and Israeli archaeologists created a 3D portrait of Jesus based on Semite skulls and modern forensic techniques.

Dr. Richard Neave, a British expert in forensic facial reconstruction, helped develop this image. He is known for creating famous reconstructions like King Phillip II of Macedonia and King Midas.

Using forensic anthropology, the team recreated Jesus’ face, showing him with a wide face, dark eyes, short dark hair, a bushy beard, and tanned skin. These features are typical of Galilean Semites from Jesus’ time, based on a description from the Gospel of Matthew, which says Jesus closely resembled his disciples.

Neave, formerly from the University of Manchester, explained that the recreation is based on an adult man from the same time and place as Jesus. Some experts believe this depiction is more accurate than famous paintings.

**Analyzing Data**
The process involves a detailed analysis of cultural and archaeological information, using techniques similar to those in criminal investigations.

The team X-rayed three Semite skulls, which were found by Israeli archaeologists and dated to Jesus’ time. Using computerized tomography, the skulls were “sliced” to reveal detailed structures.

After calculating muscle and skin density, experts built a 3D digital reconstruction of a face. A cast of the skull was made, and clay was added to match the predicted facial tissue thickness from the program.

They then added features like the eyes, lips, and nose based on the shape of the skulls.

However, the skull analysis couldn’t determine Jesus’ eye color or hair style.

The team studied first-century artwork from archaeological sites, before the Bible was written, and theorized that Jesus had dark eyes. Since Jewish men of the time typically wore beards, it was likely that Jesus did, too.

Using clues from the Bible, the team determined that Jesus probably had short, tightly curled hair. A passage by Paul states, “If a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,” leading them to conclude Jesus likely had shorter hair, different from the long-haired image seen in the Shroud of Turin, which appeared in 1354 and is believed by some to show Christ’s image.

The team also used skeletal remains of Semite men to estimate Jesus’ height and weight. They concluded that Jesus was likely a smaller man, about 5-foot-1 and weighing around 110 pounds.

Since Jesus worked as a carpenter and spent a lot of time outdoors until he was 30, experts believe he likely had tanned skin and larger muscles than what is shown in traditional Western art.

When this story was shared on Facebook, many people responded with a strong, “Amen!”

Interestingly, the new depictions of Jesus are closer to the “Prince of Peace” painting by Akiane Kramarik, which she created when she was only eight years old. Akiane said she saw Jesus in her dreams, and her painting is now internationally famous and priceless.

These new findings may surprise or upset some devout followers, especially those who claim to see Jesus’ popular image in food.

In 2022, Jeff Jordyn, 52, said he saw the face of Christ in his chicken tikka masala. He explained, “When I put my fork down, it moved some sauce around the eyes. I didn’t think anything of it, but it actually turned into Jesus.” Comparing the image in his curry to traditional portrayals of Christ, Jordyn said, “This is the only time I’ve had someone appear in my food. I’m not big on divine intervention.”

New York man sees Jesus in his curry
https://t.co/cxzI3Fplsz pic.twitter.com/0bOAHCAeQI

— New York Post (@nypost) November 1, 2022

Perhaps now, people will begin imagining Jesus with different physical features.

Science and technology offer incredible insights into our past, and it’s fascinating to see how experts used these tools to recreate an image of Jesus.