Scientists have finally solved a cold prehistoric case, 5,600 years after it happened.
The skeleton of Porsmose Man was found in 1946, in a peat bog near Næstved, Denmark, with arrows still embedded in the skull and sternum.
His face can now be seen for the first time since his mysterious death, after scientists investigating his murder reconstructed his image from his bones.
In the process, they revealed something contradictory: that the fatal arrow was not the one in his face, but the one in his chest.
Forensic facial reconstructions typically focus on reconstructing the living faces of the dead using their skulls.
But Cicero Moraes, lead author of the new study, said this reconstruction was unique and instead captured the death of the subject.
He said: ‘The aim is usually to find out what the individual’s face looked like.
“But in the present work we were also interested in knowing what injuries could have been caused to the anatomical structure.”
Scientists have finally solved a cold prehistoric case, 5,600 years after it happened

The skeleton of Porsmose Man was found in 1946, in a peat bog near Næstved, Denmark, with arrows still embedded in his skull and sternum.
He added: “Although the arrow in the face is visually striking and uncomfortable, and could be fatal depending on the situation, it was the one in the chest that impacted important structures.”
The study revealed that the fatal arrow, made of bone, had likely penetrated the man’s brachiocephalic vein, aortic arch and right pulmonary vein, killing him.
To complete their work, the authors began by virtually reconstructing the bones of Porsmose Man, using photographs and measurement data.
Graphics expert Mr Moraes said: “We then reconstructed the face using forensic techniques, creating a bust that included the areas hit by the arrowheads.
«In the chest area, where an arrow hit the sternum, we also reconstructed some other bones and the circulatory system.
“Thus it was possible to determine where the fatal arrow had pierced.”
Moraes said the resulting face was “strong.”
At the time of his death, the Porsmose man was between 35 and 40 years old and was approximately 1.66m tall.

They revealed something contradictory: that the fatal arrow was not the one in his face, but the one in his chest.

The study revealed that the fatal arrow, made of bone, had likely penetrated the man’s brachiocephalic vein, aortic arch and right pulmonary vein, killing him.
Mystery surrounds the circumstances of his murder, but after he was shot in the face and chest, his body fell into the water or was dumped there.
Whether he was executed, killed or fell in battle is lost to history.
The National Museum of Denmark, which houses his remains, pictured him as a murdered farmer in a social media post.
It said: ‘While everyone is fast asleep, strangers enter the house. The dogs growl, but are silenced with clubs.
‘The strangers broke into the yard and set fire to the thatched roofs of the houses.
‘Wake up the family and grab his axe. Together they escape from the burning house. But chaos reigns outside and she loses sight of her children.
‘You can see one of the strangers leaving with his wife. Run after him with the ax raised.
But then he feels a stabbing pain in his chest and the light disappears.

Mystery surrounds the circumstances of his murder, but after he was shot in the face and chest, his body fell into the water or was dumped there.
“When the next arrow hits your face, you are already on your way to the eternal cornfields of your ancestors.”
The Brazilian team behind the new study is made up of Mr Moraes, forensic dentist Thiago Beaini from the University of Uberlândia, dental surgeon Janaina Paiva Curi and physiotherapist Lis Moura.
They were helped with bibliographical references from the National Museum of Denmark.
They published their study in the magazine OrtogOnLineMag.