The “New Face of Ćele-kula” project has made a historical breakthrough: for the first time in more than two centuries, we are presented with the faces of the people who died in the Battle of Čegar and whose skulls became part of the famous Niš monument, it was announced.
As stated, thanks to modern forensic methods, the dedication of individuals, and community support, history has gained its face through digital reconstructions of the heroes.
The team led by Dr. Nataša Šarkić, along with Milan Simonović from the Society for Academic Development, revealed how the multi-year work on this project unfolded, and it was also highlighted that this endeavor was fully financed thanks to donations from 158 citizens.
The analysis of the preserved skulls showed a wide range of ages of the battle participants: from boys around eleven years old to fighters in their fifties. The jaw of another child was also found among the remains, which further speaks of the tragedy’s large scale. Dr. Nataša Šarkić also clarified that the analysis had its limitations, primarily because not all skulls were well-preserved enough—it was possible to determine the gender for only 45 out of 58 skulls.
Also, due to preserving the integrity of Ćele-kula, DNA analysis was not possible at this time, meaning that eye or hair color could not be determined. The team based the reconstructions on historical sources—portraits and descriptions of people from that period, as well as photographs from the 19th century. Based on a combination of this data and anthropological analyses, the faces of about twenty rebels were reconstructed, it is stated.
Interesting results were also obtained regarding the way the heads were separated. Only two skulls bear clear traces of cutting, while no cuts or damage are visible on the others. According to Dr. Šarkić, it is possible that the high temperatures of late May and the passage of time took their toll—the body decomposes naturally, so the head could detach without tools. As she emphasizes, this is a professional assumption, not final proof.
In the coming months, the team plans to complete the processing of the remaining skulls and then begin shooting a documentary film about the entire process. A great desire is also to organize the “New Face of Ćele-kula” exhibition, which could be presented both in Serbia and abroad.
All who wish to support the continuation of the project can donate funds by paying to the giro account of the Society for Academic Development 325-9500600051382-37.
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Source: N1, Photo: Društvo za akademski razvoj