St Magnus

I love history and in its most astounding manifestations our study of it gives us the ability to literally travel in time. The recreation of the face of St Magnus is just such an example – this fascinating article tells us:

A facial reconstruction has been made of Orkney’s St Magnus to help mark the 900th anniversary of his death.

Forensic artist Hew Morrison’s research included studies of photographs taken in the 1920s of what is said to be the skull of the 12th Century Norse earl.

Before sainthood, Magnus Erlendsson shared the earldom of Orkney with his cousin, Hakon.

Hakon’s jealousy of his cousin’s popularity on the islands led to Magnus being put to death.

Although the date of his martyrdom is uncertain – they range from days in the years 1115 to 1118 – Orkney’s annual St Magnus International Festival has chosen 2017 to mark the anniversary.

University of Dundee graduate Mr Morrison, whose other reconstructions include that of a Bronze Age woman buried in the Highlands, hopes his work on St Magnus will be displayed during the festival.

I still find the reconstruction of Richard IIIs face and the fact that it looks so like his contested portrait from the late middle ages really gripping. Both reconstructed heads are also a boon to the rural settings (Bosworth and Orkney) associated with their stories.