Photographs only started to become widely in use from the mid-1800s onward. Before that, the only way to get an idea as to what a famous person looked like was to view a painting of them. Certain schools of painting were really quite striking. These paintings were so detailed, in fact, that lovers of art would say that the paintings were more detailed than a photograph ever could be.
Using CT scan technology, scientists have discovered a way to figure out what various historical figures really looked like. CT scan technology is actually an advanced form of x-ray technology that can determine detailed in a person's bone and tissue structure. Of course, the older a body is, the harder it is to have a CT scan successfully performed on it, right? Well, that is not necessarily true.
Take, for example, the Ancient Egyptians. This culture was amazingly skilled at embalming their dead. So skilled, in fact, that many bodies remain intact after over 3,000 years. Obviously, a scientist could get all of the measurements and so forth that he or she needed if she was able to look at the skeleton directly, but some bodies were so beautifully wrapped that it would be disrespectful to unwrap them.
So, using CT scan technology, the wrapped body can be scanned through the layers to figure out what condition the skeleton is in, as well as specific measurements that can aid the scientist in recreating the mummy's appearance. This kind of scan can also help to determine the cause of death.
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