It was the last pitched battle to be fought on British soil, ending the hopes of the Jacobite uprising and Bonnie Prince Charlie's claims to the throne.
Now a skull found on the battlefield of Culloden is helping to reveal the brutality of the fighting that ended the rebellion against George II.
Archaeologists used 3D modelling technology to study the skull, thought to be from one of the soldiers killed during the clash between the two forces.
The top of the skull clearly shows evidence of an entry wound of a projectile just left of centre with a larger exit wound at the back lower right.
It suggests that whoever the skull belonged to had been shot in the top of the head at relatively close quarters by a musket.
Analysis of the injury suggests the musket ball was probably fired from about 147ft (45 metres) away.
The skull has been in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Hall Museums since it was purchased in 1825.
It was marked as having been found on part of the battlefield where the Highlanders attacked the King's troops.
The Jacobite army, comprised mainly of Highland battalions supported by the French, lined up to face the UK Government army, which comprised of four Scottish units, one Irish and 11 English.
On April 16 1746, they faced each other across Culloden Moor, close to Drummossie.
Holey skull gives a glimpse at the brutality of the Battle of Culloden: 3D model of soldier's remains shows he was shot in the top of the head in 1746
Skull was found on the moor where the Battle of Culloden took place
It is thought to belong to a soldier killed in the vicious fighting
A musket ball appears to have passed through the top of his head
He may have been on the ground injured already when he was shot
By Richard Gray for MailOnline
7 April 2016
Daily Mail
It was the last pitched battle to be fought on British soil, ending the hopes of the Jacobite uprising and Bonnie Prince Charlie's claims to the throne.
Now a skull found on the battlefield of Culloden is helping to reveal the brutality of the fighting that ended the rebellion against George II.
Archaeologists used 3D modelling technology to study the skull, thought to be from one of the soldiers killed during the clash between the two forces.
A skull found at the battlefield of Culloden is helping to reveal the brutality of the fighting that took place as Jacobite troops charged the army of George II 270 years ago. The skull has been kept in a museum in Edinburgh but new digital analysis has provided new details about the wounds suffered by the soldiers
The top of the skull clearly shows evidence of an entry wound of a projectile just left of centre with a larger exit wound at the back lower right.
It suggests that whoever the skull belonged to had been shot in the top of the head at relatively close quarters by a musket.
Analysis of the injury suggests the musket ball was probably fired from about 147ft (45 metres) away.
Derek Alexander, head of archaeological services for the National Trust for Scotland, said: 'We cannot say whether the skull fragment belongs to a Jacobite or one of the Government troops but the injury to the top of the head could be interpreted in a number of different ways.
'It could be from someone, head down, looking at the ground as they charge forward, or an individual who has already been wounded and is on their hands and knees or indeed it could be someone hit while focusing on reloading their musket.
'The skull is a unique example of human remains from Culloden and graphically demonstrates the horrific wounds that would have been suffered by both the Jacobite and Government armies as a result of close quarter musketry.'
The skull has been in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Hall Museums since it was purchased in 1825.
It was marked as having been found on part of the battlefield where the Highlanders attacked the King's troops.
The Jacobite army, comprised mainly of Highland battalions supported by the French, lined up to face the UK Government army, which comprised of four Scottish units, one Irish and 11 English.
On April 16 1746, they faced each other across Culloden Moor, close to Drummossie.
In the face of brutal volleys of musket and artillery fire, the Jacobites wrapped their tartan plaids around their left arms and charged.
The Battle of Culloden (illustrated) saw the Jacobite forces charge towards the lines of King George II's troops across boggy moorland. Their defeat ended the Jacobite rising of 1745
The skull (pictured) has sat in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Hall Museums since it was purchased in 1825, where it has been part of a medical collection. Archaeologists are now studying it using 3D digital modelling
Boggy ground and a delay by the Macdonald regiments on the left wing, however, left the Jacobites exposed and caused the charge to collapse into a rout.
Bonnie Prince Charlie - Charles Edward Stuart – fled the battlefield and eventually found safety in exile in France. He died in Rome in 1788.
The skull was part of a collection of more than 3,000 items purchased from the Scottish surgeon Sir Charles Bell.
The digital model of the skull (pictured) has allowed archaeologists to estimate what caused the wound in the solider's head and how far away he had been when he was shot
A musket ball is thought to have hit the soldier in the top of the head from around 147ft away. It passed through the skull (digital model pictured), giving an idea of the brutality of the close quarter fighting with muskets
Bonnie Prince Charlies laid claim to the throne of King George II (above), the third monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain
In order to better understand the skull, archaeologists used 3D imaging techniques to develop a digital model.
Stefan Sagrott, National Trust for Scotland archaeology data officer, said: 'Photogrammetry is a great tool for us, especially because it is low cost and doesn't require any fancy equipment aside from a decent camera and the processing software.
'We are using it to record a whole range of cultural heritage sites, monuments and artefacts, and we are getting some really outstanding results.
'By using it to record cultural heritage, it allows us to open up the past to even more people than ever before.
'We can take an object which would be too fragile for anyone to handle, photograph it, 3D model it and then make it available online for anyone to see, wherever they are.
The exit wound took out a large chunk of the skull (illustrated). Wire used to hold the skull fragments together can also be seen in the digital model
Culloden Moor today
'Another brilliant result of this, is that we can also 3D print the models, creating accurate replicas of objects, such as the Culloden skull, and they can then be displayed at a property and handled without any worry of damaging the original object.'
A 3D print of the skull has been created as part of the commemorations to mark the 270th anniversary of the battle and will be presented to the Culloden Visitor Centre.
Katey Boal, learning manager at the National Trust for Scotland's Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre, said: 'A skull is an incredibly personal thing. When you look at it in three dimensions you can imagine the person it would have belonged to.
'This skull takes the story of Culloden and reminds us that real people were involved. They fought, suffered and died on the field. It is a huge responsibility to tell their story, and the work the team has done is an important part of that.'
Archaeologists used a technique known as photogammetry to construct a 3D digital model of the skull (images being taken to construct the digital model pictured)
DID BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE HAIL FROM CORNWALL?
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation in the Jacobite rising of 1745, which saw Charles Edward Stuart - Bonnie Prince Charlie - try to regain the British throne for the House of Stuart.
Following the death of Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch, in 1714, the British government sought to appoint a Protestant successor to the throne, which led to the crowning of George I from the House of Hanover.
After his son George II - the last British monarch to be born abroad - took the throne in 1727 war broke out between Britain and France as part of the larger War of the Austrian Succession.
Supported by the French, Charles Edward Stuart gathered the support of the Jacobites, who wanted a Catholic king to return to the throne.
In June 1745 he then set sail from Nantes to Scotland. His forces took Edinburgh on 15 September and then marched into England, capturing Carlisle and later Manchester.
However, the Jacobite forces were stopped at Derby, forcing Charles to order a retreat while they waited for help from the French.
This help failed to materialise and, in April 1746, the Jacobites faced the British government cannon and muskets across the moor of Culloden and were defeated, with Charles fleeing to France.
Now a skull found on the battlefield of Culloden is helping to reveal the brutality of the fighting that ended the rebellion against George II.
Archaeologists used 3D modelling technology to study the skull, thought to be from one of the soldiers killed during the clash between the two forces.
The top of the skull clearly shows evidence of an entry wound of a projectile just left of centre with a larger exit wound at the back lower right.
It suggests that whoever the skull belonged to had been shot in the top of the head at relatively close quarters by a musket.
Analysis of the injury suggests the musket ball was probably fired from about 147ft (45 metres) away.
The skull has been in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Hall Museums since it was purchased in 1825.
It was marked as having been found on part of the battlefield where the Highlanders attacked the King's troops.
The Jacobite army, comprised mainly of Highland battalions supported by the French, lined up to face the UK Government army, which comprised of four Scottish units, one Irish and 11 English.
On April 16 1746, they faced each other across Culloden Moor, close to Drummossie.
Holey skull gives a glimpse at the brutality of the Battle of Culloden: 3D model of soldier's remains shows he was shot in the top of the head in 1746
Skull was found on the moor where the Battle of Culloden took place
It is thought to belong to a soldier killed in the vicious fighting
A musket ball appears to have passed through the top of his head
He may have been on the ground injured already when he was shot
By Richard Gray for MailOnline
7 April 2016
Daily Mail
It was the last pitched battle to be fought on British soil, ending the hopes of the Jacobite uprising and Bonnie Prince Charlie's claims to the throne.
Now a skull found on the battlefield of Culloden is helping to reveal the brutality of the fighting that ended the rebellion against George II.
Archaeologists used 3D modelling technology to study the skull, thought to be from one of the soldiers killed during the clash between the two forces.
A skull found at the battlefield of Culloden is helping to reveal the brutality of the fighting that took place as Jacobite troops charged the army of George II 270 years ago. The skull has been kept in a museum in Edinburgh but new digital analysis has provided new details about the wounds suffered by the soldiers
The top of the skull clearly shows evidence of an entry wound of a projectile just left of centre with a larger exit wound at the back lower right.
It suggests that whoever the skull belonged to had been shot in the top of the head at relatively close quarters by a musket.
Analysis of the injury suggests the musket ball was probably fired from about 147ft (45 metres) away.
Derek Alexander, head of archaeological services for the National Trust for Scotland, said: 'We cannot say whether the skull fragment belongs to a Jacobite or one of the Government troops but the injury to the top of the head could be interpreted in a number of different ways.
'It could be from someone, head down, looking at the ground as they charge forward, or an individual who has already been wounded and is on their hands and knees or indeed it could be someone hit while focusing on reloading their musket.
'The skull is a unique example of human remains from Culloden and graphically demonstrates the horrific wounds that would have been suffered by both the Jacobite and Government armies as a result of close quarter musketry.'
The skull has been in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Hall Museums since it was purchased in 1825.
It was marked as having been found on part of the battlefield where the Highlanders attacked the King's troops.
The Jacobite army, comprised mainly of Highland battalions supported by the French, lined up to face the UK Government army, which comprised of four Scottish units, one Irish and 11 English.
On April 16 1746, they faced each other across Culloden Moor, close to Drummossie.
In the face of brutal volleys of musket and artillery fire, the Jacobites wrapped their tartan plaids around their left arms and charged.
The Battle of Culloden (illustrated) saw the Jacobite forces charge towards the lines of King George II's troops across boggy moorland. Their defeat ended the Jacobite rising of 1745
The skull (pictured) has sat in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Hall Museums since it was purchased in 1825, where it has been part of a medical collection. Archaeologists are now studying it using 3D digital modelling
Boggy ground and a delay by the Macdonald regiments on the left wing, however, left the Jacobites exposed and caused the charge to collapse into a rout.
Bonnie Prince Charlie - Charles Edward Stuart – fled the battlefield and eventually found safety in exile in France. He died in Rome in 1788.
The skull was part of a collection of more than 3,000 items purchased from the Scottish surgeon Sir Charles Bell.
The digital model of the skull (pictured) has allowed archaeologists to estimate what caused the wound in the solider's head and how far away he had been when he was shot
A musket ball is thought to have hit the soldier in the top of the head from around 147ft away. It passed through the skull (digital model pictured), giving an idea of the brutality of the close quarter fighting with muskets
Bonnie Prince Charlies laid claim to the throne of King George II (above), the third monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain
In order to better understand the skull, archaeologists used 3D imaging techniques to develop a digital model.
Stefan Sagrott, National Trust for Scotland archaeology data officer, said: 'Photogrammetry is a great tool for us, especially because it is low cost and doesn't require any fancy equipment aside from a decent camera and the processing software.
'We are using it to record a whole range of cultural heritage sites, monuments and artefacts, and we are getting some really outstanding results.
'By using it to record cultural heritage, it allows us to open up the past to even more people than ever before.
'We can take an object which would be too fragile for anyone to handle, photograph it, 3D model it and then make it available online for anyone to see, wherever they are.
The exit wound took out a large chunk of the skull (illustrated). Wire used to hold the skull fragments together can also be seen in the digital model
Culloden Moor today
'Another brilliant result of this, is that we can also 3D print the models, creating accurate replicas of objects, such as the Culloden skull, and they can then be displayed at a property and handled without any worry of damaging the original object.'
A 3D print of the skull has been created as part of the commemorations to mark the 270th anniversary of the battle and will be presented to the Culloden Visitor Centre.
Katey Boal, learning manager at the National Trust for Scotland's Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre, said: 'A skull is an incredibly personal thing. When you look at it in three dimensions you can imagine the person it would have belonged to.
'This skull takes the story of Culloden and reminds us that real people were involved. They fought, suffered and died on the field. It is a huge responsibility to tell their story, and the work the team has done is an important part of that.'
Archaeologists used a technique known as photogammetry to construct a 3D digital model of the skull (images being taken to construct the digital model pictured)
DID BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE HAIL FROM CORNWALL?
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation in the Jacobite rising of 1745, which saw Charles Edward Stuart - Bonnie Prince Charlie - try to regain the British throne for the House of Stuart.
Following the death of Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch, in 1714, the British government sought to appoint a Protestant successor to the throne, which led to the crowning of George I from the House of Hanover.
After his son George II - the last British monarch to be born abroad - took the throne in 1727 war broke out between Britain and France as part of the larger War of the Austrian Succession.
Supported by the French, Charles Edward Stuart gathered the support of the Jacobites, who wanted a Catholic king to return to the throne.
In June 1745 he then set sail from Nantes to Scotland. His forces took Edinburgh on 15 September and then marched into England, capturing Carlisle and later Manchester.
However, the Jacobite forces were stopped at Derby, forcing Charles to order a retreat while they waited for help from the French.
This help failed to materialise and, in April 1746, the Jacobites faced the British government cannon and muskets across the moor of Culloden and were defeated, with Charles fleeing to France.
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