It works by using the geometry of the skull — the shapes and dimensions of the underlying bones — to predict the likely surface form of the face in life.

Modern forensic reconstruction combines this traditional approach with digital modeling, allowing the generation of three-dimensional virtual renderings that can then be used to produce photographic-quality facial depictions.

The reconstruction of NUE001 is based on the partially complete skull preserved with his remains, along with the physical anthropological analysis provided by Caroline Wilkinson, a leading expert in craniofacial identification, and her collaborators.

The resulting facial depiction shows a man of what appears to be mature adult age — consistent with the skeletal evidence for his approximate age at death — with features consistent with his genetic profile.