journal article·2022-08-05Open access

Forensic Facial Approximation of 5000-Year-Old Female Skull from Shell Midden in Guar Kepah, Malaysia

Johari Yap Abdullah, Cicero Moraes, Mokhtar Saidin, Zainul Ahmad Rajion, Helmi Hadi, Shaiful Shahidan, Jafri Malin Abdullah

Applied Sciences· Volume 12· Issue 15

Abstract

Forensic facial approximation was applied to a 5000-year-old female skull from a shell midden in Guar Kepah, Malaysia. The skull was scanned using a computed tomography (CT) scanner in the Radiology Department of the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia using a Light Speed Plus scanner with a 1 mm section thickness in spiral mode and a 512 × 512 matrix. The resulting images were stored in Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format. A three-dimensional (3D) model of the skull was obtained from the CT scan data using Blender’s 3D modelling and animation software. After the skull was reconstructed, it was placed on the Frankfurt plane, and soft tissue thickness markers were placed based on 34 Malay CT scan data of the nose and lips. The technique based on facial approximation by data extracted from facial measurements of living individuals showed greater anatomical coherence when combined with anatomical deformation. The facial approximation in this study will pave the way towards understanding face prediction based on skull structures, soft tissue prediction rules, and soft tissue thickness descriptors.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics · dental development and anomalies

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Craniofacial Imaging Laboratory, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia

Ortogonline Treinamento em Desenvolvimento Profissional e Consultoria LTDA, Sinop 78557-682, MT, Brazil

Center for Global Archaeological Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Penang, Malaysia

Kulliyyah of Dentistry, IIUM Kuantan Campus, Kuantan 25200, Pahang, Malaysia

School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia

Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Jalan Hospital USM, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia

Brain and Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia

Department of Neurosciences & Brain Behaviour Cluster, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia

Funding

Chief Minister Incorporated, Penang State Government through Universiti Sains Malaysia

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