What Ancient Egyptians Looked Like...?

[Tarbicus]

but I notice that there is usually an urge, possibly unconscious, to give the features an Africanized cast in deference to modern prejudices. This is easily done with soft-tissue features that are not preserved by mummification: lips, eyelid conformation, noses (except for Ramses III's tremendous beak) and skin color.

As said in the article, if you know what to look for then you can accurately estimate the shape and proportions of the soft tissues. The modelling technique is well attested and proven to be incredibly accurate, and is more a science than an art. It's such a well developed technique by now that the results, I believe, aren't even questioned in court as to the identity of remains. It's a proven scientific technique (hence its acceptance in courts), not an artistic endeavour with guesswork and artistic license.

As much as it's fair to point out that although other peoples dominated Egypt at various times but probably wouldn't influence the gene pool that much, the original gene pool was African, although the original migrants from Africa displayed facial features that are fairly distinct from many Africans today (larger jaw, more oriental eyes, etc). But as Egypt was one of the earliest settlements from that migration (the archaeological record shows this), then you should apply the same gene pool theory to Egyptians, but from the opposite direction.

Compare with this similarly made reconstruction (physical not digital, but the principal is the same) of the 35,000 year old remains found in Europe (note: The darker skin colouring is thought to be more likely, based on the latest science. Pigment lightening happened gradually, due to the lower levels of sunlight at more northern latitudes and to compensate for less vitamin D therefore being produced):


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... s-ago.html