Facial reconstruction: From mummy to murder
In 1975, Richard Neave used clay, glass eyes and a wig to rebuild the face of an Egyptian mummy. It started a career recreating the faces of the dead using the method he invented.
In 1975, British forensic artist Richard Neave used a pile of modelling clay, two prosthetic eyes and a woman’s wig to reconstruct the face of an Egyptian mummy.
It was to be the start of a 40-year career recreating the faces of the dead using the pioneering ‘Manchester technique’ that he invented.
And as his reputation spread worldwide, the police came calling. They needed Richard’s skills to help catch a killer, as he told Jane Wilkinson.
(Photo: Richard Neave in 2012. Credit: Bethany Clarke/Getty Images)
Last on
More episodes
Previous
Broadcasts
- Tue 6 Jun 2023 07:50GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service
- Tue 6 Jun 2023 11:50GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service
- Tue 6 Jun 2023 17:50GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Tue 6 Jun 2023 21:50GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Wed 7 Jun 2023 02:50GMT³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service
Featured in...
Scientific history—Witness History
Listen to and download our programmes
Podcast
-
Witness History
History as told by the people who were there