King Dinis of Portugal

[Kirgonix Pereira]

The reconstruction of the monarch's face is the result of crossing scientific information from various disciplines. Firstly, Forensic Anthropology, which exhaustively studied the King's skeleton and confirmed, among other data, his age at death (63 years) and revealed his height (approximately 165 cm), as well as his probable European population affinity.

The excellent state of preservation of the skull allowed a complete digitalization that was the basis of the reconstruction. But other phenotypic traits were obtained through genetic analyses under the responsibility of the Genetics and Forensic Biology Service of the Southern Delegation of the INMLCF.

This is the case with eye color, hair and skin tone, as well as population affinities. The King was European, had blue eyes, a fair complexion and equally fair hair. The study of the King's DNA is not yet fully completed, awaiting the results of the mitochondrial DNA. The Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology Service also played an important role in the analysis of the King's biological remains, having investigated hair and nail remains. The tests were negative for arsenic, lead and mercury."

The Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences was able to accurately determine some features of King D. Dinis' face, 700 years after his death, such as the shade of his hair, the color of his skin and eyes that he had in the final phase of his life. life.

INMLCF was the first institute to obtain satisfactory results in DNA extraction, thanks to the use of modern genetic sequencing equipment.

The revelation of D. Dinis' face successfully crowns the collaboration requested from Legal Medicine, a partner in this project.

Source: https://justica.gov.pt/Noticias/O-R...o-Medicina-Legal-reconstitui-rosto-de-D-Dinis