Forensic Facial Approximation of Kennewick Man (~8,370 BP)

This study presents a digital forensic facial approximation of the individual known as Kennewick Man (~8,370 BP), using exclusively publicly available data for didactic and methodological purposes. The reconstruction was carried out from three-dimensional models of the skull and mandible, scaled according to published osteometric measurements and processed in a free and open-source software environment using the OrtogOnBlender add-on for Blender. The method integrates craniofacial anatomical projections, soft tissue depth markers derived from modern Asian samples, nasal projection estimates, and anatomical deformation of a virtual donor based on computed tomography data. Three sets of results were produced: a statistically grounded basic facial structure, a grayscale forensic approximation following classical forensic standards, and a colored artistic version, the latter explicitly identified as speculative. Additionally, endocranial volume was estimated from the digital endocast, yielding values consistent with modern male variation. The study demonstrates the feasibility of producing reproducible, transparent, and educational forensic facial approximations even in the absence of direct access to physical human remains.