Is this what Jesus really looked like?

FORENSIC experts have pieced together what they perceive to be the real face of Jesus Christ, and it is not the Caucasian man with long hair that is often depicted of the Messiah.


Is this what Jesus really looked like?

Retired medical artist Richard Neave created an image of Christ which he believes is a better representation of the Son of God.

Rather than having the long flowing locks, Caucasian skin and blue eyes, the scientifically created image of Christ has short brown hair, a Middle Eastern complexion and dark brown eyes.

The forensic experts came to the conclusion that this is likely to be what Christ more looks like by analysing the texts of the Bible where Judas describes to the guards what Jesus looks like so that they can tell him apart from the other disciples.

jesus 2REUTERS

Experts believe that this is what Jesus looked like

Mr Neave and his team were also gifted Semite skulls from around the time that Jesus lived by Israeli archaeologists and Neave and co created X-ray “slices” of the skull to give a better feeling for his features.

Mr Neave explained the process to the BBC: “I made a plaster cast of the skull which gives me something to work on.


Due to being Middle Eastern, it was unlikely that Jesus had blonde hair

“Then I put clay over it and, using soft tissue measurements, build up the anatomy of the face. 

“Inevitably there are some areas where you have to speculate, particularly if parts of the skull are missing.”

Keeping with Jewish tradition, the team also believed that Christ was likely to have short hair with tight curls and a short beard.

At the time, the average build of a Semite would have been about five foot tall and as he worked as a carpenter, it is thought that his skin would be more weather-beaten than most.