SA15 from Medieval St Leonard’s (Visible Disabilities in Premodern Europe)

Overview:
Developed as part of the Visible Disabilities in Premodern Europe project, this facial approximation supports History in Our Bones, a travelling exhibition exploring disability, identity, and lived experience through archaeological research, museum interpretation, and public engagement. SA15 was a mature man buried at St Leonard's Hospital, North Shields, whose skeletal remains reveal evidence of severe long-term mobility impairment and complete tooth loss, providing a rare opportunity to explore disability, resilience, and care in medieval society.

Creative & Scientific Contribution:
Working with an interdisciplinary team of researchers, museum professionals, disability advocates, and community partners, I produced an evidence-based craniofacial approximation informed by osteological analysis, archaeological context, and historical evidence. Alongside the visual reconstruction, I contributed to exhibition interpretation, visual storytelling, and public-facing narratives that translated complex scientific evidence into an accessible account of disability, identity, and lived experience. Rather than focusing solely on pathology, the reconstruction was designed to emphasise SA15's resilience, social standing, and humanity, encouraging visitors to consider how medieval communities understood care, inclusion, and belonging.

Public Impact:
Following its successful debut at the Wardlaw Museum, the reconstruction forms part of the travelling exhibition History in Our Bones, opening at The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum in June 2026. Through evidence-based visual storytelling and collaborative interpretation, the exhibition invites audiences to reflect on disability, dignity, and community while challenging assumptions about impairment in the medieval past.