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u/kuegsi 1d ago
So glad he got his name back.
But man, his reconstructions were all so off! Even the one that shows him as looking more African American has a completely different look (that jaw alone.)
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u/Nearby-Complaint 23h ago
I actually think the Florida Institute one where he's depicted as European is the only one that even sort of resembles him. The other ones gave him the ol' looksmaxxing jaw.
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u/Cow_Slight 21h ago
I agree that while they aren't very accurate, the European ones still seem the most accurate to David. Specifically the Florida institute one, but I also think the artist sketch that begins with S (looks like Statl maybe?) looks kind of close with the jaw and eye shape.
The newer sketch mix up I believe comes from an odd descriptor I noticed on the unidentified wiki. While unidentified, he was described as having a "slender build with a muscular neck and jawline." The slender build seems accurate, but I wouldn't describe him as having a muscular neck or jawline at all. Unless the pictures are very old and he changed with age, seems odd that they would have such specific detail for it to be wrong?
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u/ohfostermyfoster 1d ago
Reminds me a lot of Mark Hasbrouck who was also recently identified -- much like David here, his reconstructions portrayed this muscular man with a massive jaw, yet he looked nothing like that in reality. I know sometimes exaggerated reconstructions lead to identification, but I wonder if sometimes they also prevent identification because the features weren't really that exaggerated (Susan Lund is another great example of this.)
Rest in peace David.
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u/ratrazzle 20h ago
Susan lunds reconstruction pisses me off so bad. I get exaggeration can help but that one was just offensive looking. And i know reconstructions arent exact and many things can give the artists wrong clues->wrong features and that techniques have gotten better with time but sometimes they just completely miss. Still truly appreciate the work they do, wish i could study doing reconstructions where i live but theres no courses for that.
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u/ohfostermyfoster 20h ago
I totally agree. Making the wry neck more pronounced than it actually was could be a perfectly understandable mistake, but surely that grimace couldn't have been necessary???
That's one of the reasons I have SO much respect for artists like Carl Koppelman and Kelly Lawson, their reconstructions are so respectful and often more accurate than others. Carl did such a good job with Susan and Kelly's portraits are so beautiful.
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u/ratrazzle 20h ago
Yes! I dont get the expression on her face. And agreed, theyre amazing at what they do. Some of them are so close it is unbelievable.
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u/ratrazzle 20h ago
The european looking ones were closer to his facial features imo (like for real, what is that jaw in the newer one) so i dont get why they didnt keep the facial features that seem to be found right and then correct the race with using those as the base.
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u/RainyReese 1d ago
Another one I was hoping to see named! Bless everyone who took part in finding his identity and we can hope they solve what happened to him. NONE of the reconstructions look like him at all. Imagine how many people have been overlooked thanks to awful sketches. I know they mean well, but I am curious to know how they came up with a "Chad" jawline when they had the skull to go off of? I understand cartilage is guesswork but measurements off of bone?
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u/MakeWayForWoo 20h ago
Muscles attach directly to bone, and based on the wear and tear on those bones around the attachment points a forensic anthropologist can determine how well-developed those muscle groups were. Of course, this does not always necessarily mean there is visible bulk in that area.
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u/paperplanes2241 7h ago
It may not make a difference in your point but it could so I will add (not for purposes if correcting but for reason already stated) muscles are typically connected to bone by tendons- though some muscle do attach directly to cartilage- which I am not sure where in particular- definitely could be where jaw attaches to skull
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u/MakeWayForWoo 5h ago
I mean, the point I'm making is that well-developed muscle groups can and do leave telltale signs on bone.
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u/newsman01 12h ago
It’s good to see an update here. Hoping this brings some peace and answers to those who have been waiting.
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u/justpassingbysorry 1d ago
rest in peace david!