Heritage Malta and the Eden Leisure Foundation are collaborating on the scientific analysis and full-body reconstruction of a skeleton from St Paul's Catacombs in Rabat. The initiative follows a recent successful partnership that restored an 18th-century carriage, now part of the permanent display at the Grand Master's Palace, Heritage Malta said.
Skeleton 248, discovered during excavations between 2010 and 2015, contains the most complete of the very few skulls excavated from the site. The remains belong to a young woman, aged between 19 and 25, who may have suffered from a degenerative joint disease and lived around 2,000 years ago. Previous work on the same skeleton included a facial reconstruction undertaken between 2018 and 2021 by a team from the University of Palermo. The new project builds on this earlier research, expanding it through updated scientific methods and international expertise.
Ancient DNA analysis, carbon dating, and isotope studies are currently underway to support the initiative, alongside high-resolution 3D scanning carried out by Heritage Malta's Technology and Experience Development Unit. The Eden Leisure Foundation is supporting the next phase: a full-body forensic reconstruction by the acclaimed Kennis Brothers, internationally recognised for their work on figures such as Ötzi the Iceman and the Tollund Man. The reconstruction is expected to be completed within four years.
The artefacts unearthed from this burial help build a clearer picture of the person's life and identity. These include pottery vessels dating to the 1st-2nd centuries AD, along with personal items such as a face-shaped pendant, a bronze netting needle, a bone hairpin found behind the skull, and a glass unguentarium placed beside her head. Together, they shape a more personal story, which the reconstruction seeks to translate into a visual and relatable form.
Once finalised, this life-size model will form part of an enhanced visitor experience at St Paul's Catacombs, allowing the public to connect more meaningfully with the individuals laid to rest at the site. It also aims to strengthen the site's contribution to better understanding the broader European history, recently highlighted by the awarding of the prestigious European Heritage Label.
During the project's launch at the Catacombs, Heritage Malta's Chief Executive Officer, Noel Zammit, lauded this project and emphasised that: "In it, we see in practice the beauty of when science and history become one. Once again, thanks to the generosity of the Eden Leisure Foundation, all of us living today will be able to literally look at the face of a person who lived in our country so many years ago."
Eden Leisure Foundation Chairperson, Kate De Cesare, added: "From the moment Heritage Malta presented this project to us, we knew it aligned perfectly with the Foundation's mission. We are passionate about supporting initiatives that preserve Malta's heritage while making it more meaningful and accessible to the public. The opportunity to help reveal the story of someone who lived here 2,000 years ago through the latest scientific techniques is both fascinating and deeply significant. Having worked with Heritage Malta on previous projects, we have seen first-hand the care, professionalism and expertise they bring to every initiative, and we are proud to support them once again in bringing another important chapter of Malta's history to life."