From site to lab: A skull’s journey described in Heritage Malta masterclass

On Wednesday, 21st April, at 6.30pm, Heritage Malta will be streaming on Facebook a masterclass that follows the journey, from site to lab, of a skull discovered at St Paul’s Catacombs and of the creation of the related facial reconstruction.

The journey started on the 22nd August 2013, when a skeleton belonging to a female between 18 and 24 years of age was discovered within the access shaft of a shaft-and-chamber tomb, surrounded by a remarkable assemblage of grave goods. Based on tomb typology and pottery studies, the skeleton was estimated to date back to between the late 4th century BC and the 2nd Century AD.

The masterclass will follow the journey of the skeleton from the site to the lab, highlighting the various techniques used to understand past burial practices and the studies that went into creating a biological profile of the individual from the bones. The combination of this biological profile and the conservation of the skull ultimately resulted in sufficient information for specialists to create a facial reconstruction, giving a face to our past.

Entitled “Staring the Past in the Eyes: Discovery and Research on a Skull from St Paul’s Catacombs”, the masterclass will be delivered by a number of specialists, including David Cardona (Senior Curator of St Paul’s Catacombs), Michelle Padovani (Osteologist) and a group of Italian specialists led by Roberto Miccichè (Forensic Anthropologist).

The masterclass will be delivered in English. There will be English subtitles for the part which will be in Italian.

 STQARRIJA BIL-MALTI/ PRESS RELEASE IN MALTESE