From Ancient Burial to Modern Tech: 3D Printing the Bäckaskog Woman's Skull from CT Scans - 2019

Project Overview:
In 2019 I had the incredible opportunity to work on a fascinating project involving the 9000-year-old skull of the Bäckaskog woman, also known as Fiskaren från Barum. This ancient skeleton was discovered in 1939 in Scania, Sweden. The woman, approximately 150 cm tall and around 45 years old at the time of her death, was buried in a sitting, crouching position. Alongside her were a flint-edged bone arrow and a chisel-like bone object, possibly used for making or mending nets, digging for roots, or other unidentified purposes.

Project Details:
- Client: Oscar Nilsson, Archeologist and Artist
- Task: Convert Medical CT scan data to STL and 3D print the skull
- Tools Used: [List any specific software or tools you used, e.g., InVesalius, Meshmixer, ZBrush]

Process:
1. Medical CT Scan Conversion: The project began with converting the Medical CT scan data of the skull into an STL file. This involved meticulous resizing and refining to ensure accuracy.
2. 3D Printing: Once the STL file was ready, I proceeded with 3D printing the skull. The process required careful calibration and attention to detail to capture the intricate features of the ancient skull.
3. Final Touches: Post-processing steps included smoothing and finishing the printed model to enhance its realism and historical accuracy.

Challenges:
One of the main challenges was ensuring the precision of the conversion from Medical CT scan to STL, as well as maintaining the integrity of the skull's features during the 3D printing process.

Outcome:
The final 3D-printed model of the Bäckaskog woman's skull is a valuable tool for educational and research purposes, providing a tangible connection to our ancient past.

Additional Information:
For more details about the Bäckaskog woman, you can visit;
http://www.kringla.nu/kringla/objekt?referens=TUM/object/120)
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barumskvinnan

Historiska Museet
https://historiska.se/upptack-historien/foremal/oga-mot-oga/

https://historiska.se/upptack-historien/artikel/kvinnan-fran-barum/