The faces of Edinburgh's first residents brought to life 900 years on

Buried hundreds of years ago in the heart of the-then new city of Edinburgh, the faces of some of the capital’s earliest residents have been brought to life once more.

Facial restorations of a number of skeletons buried at St Giles’ from the 12th century have been completed to mark the 900th anniversary of both the cathedral and the city itself.

A 12th-century man (right) and a a 15th-century woman are among the medieval Edinburgh residents whose faces have been restored. | Contributed

Among them was a man buried within the grounds of the cathedral in the 12th century and a woman who was one of eight females buried inside the Chapel of Our Lady between the 15th and 16th century. Two 15th-century pilgrims have also been studied.

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The faces of five of the residents will go on show at St Giles’ in the exhibition Edinburgh’s First Burghers: Revealing the Lives and Hidden Faces of Edinburgh’s Medieval Citizens, which opens to the public on Friday.

St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh

Experts from the Francis Crick Institute, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Dundee have all worked on the research and exhibition, along with city archaeologist John Lawson.

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Mr Lawson said the work had been a “powerful” opportunity to “honour” the lives of the residents in the place where they were laid to rest.

He said: “This has been a fascinating project that brings together new archaeological science and the creative arts to tell the story of Edinburgh's first residents in an imaginative and exciting way.

“Visitors to the exhibition will come face to face with the first inhabitants of the city, ordinary individuals who lived through extraordinary chapters of history. While we are accustomed to the tales of the famous and powerful, this project shifts the spotlight to the everyday citizens, telling their stories in the very place they once walked, worshipped and were laid to rest.

“To honour their lives in such a meaningful location has been a rare and powerful opportunity. It’s been an immensely rewarding partnership to be part of, and I’m grateful to the church, talented specialists and the artists whose hard work and dedication have helped to tell these stories.”

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Originally excavated in 1981, these remains have undergone new detailed analysis using advanced methods, including ancient DNA sequencing, isotopic analysis, radiocarbon dating and forensic facial reconstruction.

The full results of the research into daily lives of the medieval city dwellers will be revealed at the exhibition. New information has been found on the diet of the residents, with tests showing almost all of whom were born and raised in the Edinburgh and Lothian area.

Dr Maria Maclennan, senior lecturer at the School of Design, Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) at the University of Edinburgh, led the work on facial restorations.

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Craniofacial approximation, a hybrid science and art practice, was used to restore the face of an unknown individual from their skeletal remains. The results have restored “visibility, identity and humanity to those long lost or forgotten”, a statement for the exhibition said.

Dr Maclennan: “It has been an enormous privilege to contribute to such a fascinating and interdisciplinary project, which adopted a truly interdisciplinary approach requiring collaboration on the part of many.

“Each craniofacial approximation involved the marriage of archaeological evidence together with myriad scientific analyses undertaken by the research team, to help inform final facial appearance.”

Facial reconstructions of five individuals will be projected throughout the cathedral using immersive lighting designs by artist Mettje Hunneman.

A specially commissioned short documentary by Cinetopia, featuring interviews with the research team and members of the cathedral community, will also feature.

Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, said: “This exhibition invites visitors to travel back through nine centuries of Edinburgh’s history, to meet the earliest people who called this city home. Thanks to scientific research and creative collaboration, we are able to share new insights into their lives, origins, health, and identities and, to actually see their faces once again.”