Rebecca Lambert
Forensic Art & Facial Imaging MSc
An archaeological reconstruction of the skull of John Hand, a known murderer executed in 1824 in Sydney, Australia.
About
![Profile picture of Rebecca Lambert](http://cdn-acquia.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/content_summary_free_image/public/2023-08/rebecca-lambert-profile.jpg?itok=18xURMTV)
For this project the Anatomical Museum of Edinburgh graciously allowed access to their catalogue of skulls for possible archaeological facial reconstruction. After choosing a skull I was provided with a good amount of background information: Male, John Hand, Executed in 1824 for Murder in Sydney, Australia and how the skull was later obtained by The Phrenological Society of Edinburgh in 1826/27
Using this information, I found that John Hand was a convict within the Australian penal colony in New South Wales, he would ultimately be assigned into private service for a man by the name of Michael Minton whom he would later go on to murder and consequently be executed in 1824.
Using a 3D scan of the skull of John Hand and working with various faculties within the University of Dundee's Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, I managed to confirm his sex, determine his ancestry, and give a possible age group from his cranial measurements and an analysis of his teeth. John Hand was a male, likely of European ancestry and although a specific age range could not be pinpointed due to his poor oral health, we know that he was likely an older individual.
Armed with all this information I created The Face of John Hand.
The Face of John Hand : An Archaeological Facial Reconstruction
![An archaeological facial reconstruction of a man by the name of John Hand, sculpted out of modelling wax and painted with oil paint.](https://www.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/student_work_desktop_1440w/public/2023-08/rebecca-lambert-image-1.png?itok=TZNDzJmp)
John Hand; A known murderer, executed in 1824, Sydney Australia.
The Face of John Hand : An Archaeological Facial Reconstruction
![An archaeological facial reconstruction of John Hand, right side profile view](https://www.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/student_work_desktop_1440w/public/2023-08/rebecca-lambert-image-2.png?itok=yYIlkpjN)
The Face of John Hand : An Archaeological Facial Reconstruction
![An archaeological facial reconstruction of John Hand, left side profile view](https://www.dundee.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/student_work_desktop_1440w/public/2023-08/rebecca-lambert-image-3.png?itok=6yBqeWD3)