Reconstruct Face Of Jesus Based On Skull Of 1st Century Jewish Man From Jerusalem Used Techniques Developed For Reconstructing Severe Burn Victims. Oldest Portraits Of Jews Used To Deternine Hair, Beard

LONDON, March 27, 2001
Reuters

Researchers for the BBC have generated an image of what Jesus Christ may have actually looked like.

Using the 2,000-year-old skull of a Jewish man found in a Jerusalem building as a starting point, the researchers reconstructed his face, using techniques developed for serious burn victims.

Based on the earliest portraits of Jews, taken from a third century Syrian synagogue, the image was given curly short hair and a trimmed beard.

His skin is dark because of the desert climate.

One of the researchers calls the image, "An accurate reflection of the people at that time."

The BBC show the image was created for, Son Of God, which says our conception of Jesus as white grew out the famous portraits of him in Western European art.