Superimposition
Definition
Overlay technique that matches an unidentified skull with an antemortem photograph of a suspected individual to test anatomical consistency.
- Field
- Skeletal identification
- Compares
- Unidentified skull vs antemortem photograph
- Tests
- Anatomical consistency
Common questions
What landmarks does an examiner check when overlaying a skull image on a photograph?+
Examiners align features such as the outline of the cranium, orbital margins, nasal aperture, and dental arch against corresponding points on the antemortem photograph, checking proportion and position rather than a single matching point. Consistent alignment across multiple landmarks supports identification; a clear mismatch on even one stable landmark can exclude it.
Can superimposition alone confirm identity, or does it only support other evidence?+
Superimposition demonstrates consistency, not unique identification, because it cannot rule out another individual with a similarly shaped skull and face. It is typically used alongside DNA, dental records, or other identification methods rather than as a stand-alone conclusion.
Related terms
- Anatomical Landmarks
- Fixed cranial reference points (about 25 are used) including glabella, nasion, gonion, gnathion, zygion and prosthion that must align with corresponding soft-tissue...
- AnthropoScope
- Computerised three-dimensional skull and facial reconstruction system using laser scans of the skull and soft-tissue prediction from CT databases.
- FACES
- American computerised composite and reconstruction software (IQ Biometrix) used to generate two-dimensional faces from cranial and witness data.
- Glabella
- The midline prominence on the frontal bone between the superciliary arches. Scored 1 (flat, female) to 5 (highly prominent, male). Correlated with...
- Gonion
- The most posterior and inferior point of the mandibular angle, bilaterally. Used in superimposition to assess the width of the jaw angle...
- Manchester Method
- Three-dimensional facial reconstruction technique developed by Richard Neave at the University of Manchester, building clay muscle by muscle on a skull cast...
- Nasion
- The anatomical landmark at the junction of the nasal bones and the frontal bone (the bridge of the nose). One of the...
- Plastic vs Sculptured Reconstruction
- Plastic (two-dimensional) reconstruction draws the face on a photograph or sketch of the skull; sculptured (three-dimensional) reconstruction builds the face physically in...
- Soft-Tissue Thickness
- Distance from a cranial landmark to the overlying skin surface, measured in millimetres; varies with sex, age, BMI and population, and forms...
- Video Superimposition
- The updated superimposition workflow using a motorised skull turntable, a calibrated video camera, and real-time electronic mixing of the skull video image...