Facial reconstruction unveils Santa Claus’ real face
Facial reconstruction reveals the real face of Santa Claus after 1,700 years, just in time for Christmas.
Depictions of the yuletide man originated from Saint Nicholas of Myra, who left a legacy of kindness and generosity.
READ: NASA finds ‘Christmas Tree Cluster’ in space
Article continues after this advertisementDespite his enduring presence in popular culture worldwide, there has never been an accurate visual representation of the man until now.
What does the real Santa Claus look like?
Real face of Santa Claus revealed after 1,700 years —and just in time for Christmas https://t.co/HsbCNFCl1g pic.twitter.com/wan74K7vhF
— New York Post (@nypost) December 4, 2024
Interesting Engineering says Brazilian 3D Designer Cicero Moraes led the study in discovering Santa Claus’ true visage.
Aside from 3D facial reconstruction, they used the “anatomical deformation technique.”
Article continues after this advertisementMoraes said it involved adjusting a living person’s head tomography so that a virtual donor’s skull matches that of the saint.
“The final face,” the 3D designer continued, “is an interpolation of all this information, seeking anatomical and statistical coherence.”
He says the reconstruction reveals a “strong and gentle face.” Surprisingly, it matches the portrayal from Clement Clarke Moores’ 1823 poem, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
Here’s a select passage from the poem via the Poetry Foundation:
“And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!”
“[and] His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow”
The LA-based St. Tammany Parish Library says Santa Claus’ story dates back to 280 AD. Saint Nicholas of Myra, the inspiration behind Jolly Old Nick’s legend, was born in Patara, in modern-day Türkiye.
The legend states that Nicholas was a generous spirit who traveled the countryside helping the less fortunate and sick.
His parents were wealthy, so he inherited the bulk of their estate when they died. Later, he gave away his inheritance to the less fortunate and lived a humble life.
His story spread worldwide and cartoonist Thomas Nast eventually depicted Saint Nicholas with a red coat.
As a result, Nast drew one of the earliest depictions of modern-day Santa Claus.
The facial reconstruction shows Saint Nicholas of Myra’s face stood the test of time as Santa Claus.
Cicero Moraes and his team published their findings in the journal OrtogOnLineMag.
