The new 3D reconstruction is the most realistic likeness of Robert the Bruce to be produced to date, and was created as part of a collaboration between the University of Glasgow and Liverpool John Moores University Face Lab, which released the digital model a few years ago.

Dr Martin MacGregor, senior lecturer in history at University of Glasgow, first conceived of the model after the discovery of King Richard III of England’s skeleton in Leicester in 2012. 

Speaking about the unveiling of the new Robert the Bruce 3D model, Dr MacGregor said: “Contemporary sources tell us much about his remarkable life, but virtually nothing about his appearance. This is what persuaded a team of historians, museum curators, geneticists, forensic scientists and medical artists to combine to create a new 3D depiction of the head of the hero-king.

“750 years after his birth in 1274, it is fitting that Dunfermline Abbey, where Robert Bruce was buried in 1329, should host an exhibition which brings us face-to-face with Scotland’s greatest monarch.”

The model was produced using a combination of historical research and scientific analysis with advances in facial reconstruction techniques. The team used a 3D laser scanner to scan the cast of Robert the Bruce’s skull, which allowed them to accurately establish muscle formation from the positions of the skull bones. Using CGI technology, realistically textured skin was then layered over the muscle structure.

As historians have long debated whether Robert the Bruce suffered from leprosy, the team created two versions of the digital reconstruction, one without leprosy and one with a mild representation of leprosy. For the 3D physical model, only the version showing no visible signs of leprosy was portrayed.

Recommended reading

• Scots Research Uses AI to Identify Risk of Dementia, Diabetes, and Heart Disease
• New Scots-led Centre to Develop Tech Tools for Heart Disease Treatment
• Heriot-Watt’s DeepTech LaunchPad Drives Prosthetic Innovation

Alasdair Campbell, interpretation officer at Historic Environment Scotland which runs the Dunfermline Abbey estate, said: “We are delighted to host the most accurate model of Robert the Bruce’s face to date. 

“Robert the Bruce’s story is an important part of Dunfermline Abbey, and we are excited for visitors to be able to visualise this story in a new way, particularly as we celebrate his 750th birthday.”

The model will be on show to the public for the first time at Dunfermline Abbey from Monday 29 July until Saturday 7 December, with other events also taking place across Historic Environment Scotland to celebrate Robert the Bruce’s 750th anniversary.