By New York Post (World News) | Created at 2024-12-04 19:50:06 | Updated at 2024-12-05 02:41:14
6 hours ago
Santa Claus is finally showing his face — and just in time for Christmas!
Striking new images claim to show what Saint Nicholas really looked like — some 1,700 years after he started delivering gifts.
Scientists created the hi-tech images using data collected from the skull of Saint Nicholas of Myra, whose notoriety for gift-giving inspired the Dutch folk figure Sinterklass, who later became known as Santa Claus throughout the US.
While the Christian saint died in 343 A.D., long before there could be images of him, the data from his skull allowed the very first forensic reconstruction of what he likely looked like, including his iconic white hair and beard.
“We initially reconstructed the skull in 3D using this data. We then traced the profile of the face using statistical projections,” Cicero Moraes, who led the study, told Pen News.
“The final face is an interpolation of all this information, seeking anatomical and statistical coherence,” he said — with one being “more artistic” with the beard and clothing “inspired by the iconography of Saint Nicholas.”
Although the rendering is the first produced scientifically, it is surprisingly similar to the Santa described in the 1823 poem, “A Visit From St Nicholas,” widely known as “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas,” with his rosy cheeks and “broad face.”
“The skull has a very robust appearance, generating a strong face,” Moraes said.
“This characteristic, combined with a thick beard, is very reminiscent of the figure we have in mind when we think of Santa Claus.”
Studying the saint’s remains also revealed he suffered from chronic arthritis in his spine and pelvis, while his skull showed bone thickening that likely caused frequent headaches, according to Moraes.
The scientists said the saint — known for only rewarding well-behaved kids with gifts — also likely survived off a mostly plant-based diet.
While Saint Nicholas was initially buried in Myra — or modern-day Turkey — his bones were later moved to Bari, Italy, where they remain today.
The study, co-written by Moraes, José Luís Lira and Thiago Beaini was published in the journal OrtogOnLineMag.
