forensic archaeology

Polyphonic Murders is the first holographic collection of 5 violent and cruel historical deaths from different eras covering a range of weapons and methods for inflicting head trauma. The principal investigator was Dr. Elena Kranioti, a medical doctor and forensic pathologist with whom we collaborated.

The below Rhind Mummy hologram was selected for exhibition at the MIT Museum collection of holography, one of the largest in the world. Holoxica won the Nexxus Scotland Collaboration Award for Scientific Medical Imaging on our work on the Rhind Mummy as well as the Best Product Award at the Museums Association Conference. This is Europe’s largest event for museum and heritage professionals.

 
 
 

Lundin Links - The Pictish man

Time Period: 400-600 AD (approximate)
Location: Lundin Links beach, South-East Fife coastline, Scotland (United Kingdom).
Demographics: Male. age: 35-45 years. Stature: approx. 177.7cm or 5ft 10 inches.
Cause of death: Sharp force injuries to back of the head. The individual suffered multiple strikes with sharp bladed object(s) which resulted in suffering fatal injuries.

 
 
 

Can Peré - The Spanish Woman

Time Period: 100-700 AD (approximate).
Location: Roman Empire outpost, Ibiza, Balearic island (Spain).
Demographics: female. age: 18-25 years. Stature: unknown

Cause of death: Penetrating injury to the right side of the head. The individual suffered a single violent-traumatic blow with a sharp pointed object which resulted in suffering fatal injuries.

 
 
 

St John's College - The Dane

Time Period: 1000-1100 AD (approximate).
Location: St John’s College, Oxford city centre, England (United Kingdom).
Demographics: male, age: 16-25 years. Stature: approximately 172.2cm or 5ft 8 inches.

Cause of death: Sharp force injuries to the head. The individual suffered multiple strikes to the head with multiple sharp bladed objects which resulted in suffering fatal injuries. Additionally, sharp force trauma marks his left leg, both of his hips and between his shoulder blades.

 
 
 

Whitefriars - The Man from Perth

Time Period: 1200-1600AD.
Location: Whitefriars Carmelite Friary, Perth, Scotland (United Kingdom).
Demographics: male, age: 35-45 years. Stature: approximately 167.7cm or 5ft 6 inches.

Cause of death: Sharp force injuries to the head. The individual suffered a single strike with a sharp object with a square outline around the time of his death.

 
 
 

Trinity College - the unknown Man

Time Period: 1800-1900 AD or earlier.
Location: Trinity College, Dublin (Ireland).
Source of data: Dr René Gapert, Human Remains Services Ireland.

Demographics: male, age: 26-35 years. Stature: unknown

Cause of death: Sharp force injuries to the head. The individual suffered multiple strikes with sharp bladed object(s) around the time of his death.

 
 
 

The Rhind Mummy

Time Period: 10 BC (approximate).
Location: Excavated from a tomb in Thebes, Egypt by Alexandar Rhind in 1857. Currently at the National Museum of Scotland. The tomb has never been opened and never will.

Secrets: The secrets of this mummy were finally revealed when it was CT scanned by the Clinical Research Imaging Centre at Edinburgh University in 2012. The mummy is still intact in its original wrapping.

Demographics: Female, age: 25-29 years. She was probably a noble woman as her teeth were in good condition. Stature: approx. 158 cm or 5ft 2 inches.
Cause of death: Unknown. This could not be inferred from the CT scan data, so it could have been an infection or pneumonia.

Press:

  • Archeology.Wiki: “Finer Detail Of 2000 Year Old Mummy Revealed By 3D Holography Imaging.” - link

  • Archeology News Network: “Mummy's Secrets Revealed By 3D Holography Imaging” - link

  • Photonics Media: “3-D Holography Peers Under Mummy’s Shroud” - link

  • The University of Edinburgh: “Uncovering the secrets of the Rhind mummy” - link