Hubei publishes for the first time 3D restored statues of Qin officials from more than 2,000 years ago

　　China News Service, Wuhan, March 25 (Reporter Liang Ting) The Hubei Provincial Museum held a press conference on the 25th and announced for the first time the restored statue of "Xi", a Qin official from more than 2,000 years ago, using 3D printing technology.

On March 25, the Hubei Provincial Museum announced for the first time the 3D restored statues of Qin officials from more than 2,000 years ago. Photo by China News Service reporter Liang Ting

　　In 1975, more than 1,000 bamboo slips were unearthed from the Qin Tomb in Suihudi, Yunmeng County, Hubei Province. This was the first discovery of Qin Dynasty bamboo slips in Chinese archaeological history, and the first systematic discovery of Qin Dynasty laws. The legal documents excerpted and recorded by "Xi", the owner of tomb M11 and a grassroots legal worker in Qin, involve aspects of social life and national governance at that time.

　　The Hubei Provincial Museum, the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology, and the School of Archeology of Jilin University conducted a "comprehensive study of human bones unearthed from Yunmengsuihudi" on the skeleton of the owner "Xi" of the M11 tomb in Yunmengsuihudi in 2019. The expected results have been achieved recently .

On March 25, the Hubei Provincial Museum announced for the first time the 3D restored statues of Qin officials from more than 2,000 years ago. Photo by China News Service reporter Zhang Chang

　　Wang Xianfu, deputy director of the Hubei Provincial Museum, said that the bones of "Xi" are relatively well preserved, including the skull, mandible, scapula, upper limb bones, sternum, ribs, spine and lower limb bones (the distal ends of the right tibia and fibula are missing), etc. There are many missing bones in the hands and feet.

　　Comprehensive observation of the skull, mandible, pelvis and other morphological features proves that the owner of the tomb is male. Based on the maximum length of the femur, his height is 161.5 cm; based on the measurement of the maximum diameter of the left femoral head, it is estimated that his weight is 59.9 kg; taking into account the pubic symphysis surface, molar wear, etc., his age should be between 45 and 50 years old.

　　"By observing the pathological phenomena of various parts of his bones, the osteoarthritis of the vertebrae, upper limb bones, and the 'kneeling surface' of the lower limbs, it is reflected that he had high and low shoulders or cervical spondylosis during his lifetime. This is due to his long-term behavioral habits of engaging in literary and historical records and desk work. It matches." Wang Xianfu said.

　　At the same time, based on the measurement of strontium isotopes in different parts of the bones, it is inferred that his childhood place was not in Anlu (Yunmeng), and he had a life experience of migrating to Anlu from other places. This is the same as that found in the Zhengjiahu Cemetery in Yunmeng that "most of the tomb owners are from Guanzhong and its surrounding areas."

　　Based on "Xi"'s skull, the research team collected accurate data through two-dimensional linear measurement and three-dimensional panoramic photography technology, and used the reconstructed high-precision three-dimensional skull model to systematically and accurately analyze its craniofacial features; it also comprehensively used virtual material comparison technology , digital sculpting technology and facial topology editing technology to generate facial white membrane, add facial features, skin texture and hair, combine the fossil bioanthropological information and archaeological site environmental background factors to restore skin color, hair color, eye color and other features, and finally restore "Happy" avatar.

　　Yang Lisheng, director of the Hubei Provincial Museum Academic Research Center, introduced that the "Chronicle" of bamboo slips buried in the M11 coffin records the major events from the first year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin to the thirtieth year of Qin Shi Huang's destruction of the six kingdoms and the unification of the country, as well as the life experience of the tomb owner "Xi".

　　"The 'occupational diseases' caused by these experiences and achievements are consistent with the results of physical anthropology." Yang Lisheng said that small people build big history and show macro history through the perspective of grassroots figures, which is the significance of physical anthropology. (over)