Anatomical Soft-Tissue Reconstruction in Practice and Public View
Open Access DepositedCampbell et al., 2021). While different methods have been used to reconstruct what these species may have looked like in life, artists such as John Gurche have had an incredible impact on public understanding of hominins by creating lifelike 3D models of these individuals based on fossil remains (Koepfer et al., 2003). However, as discussed by Campbell et al., there is little documented methodology for creating these kinds of realistic models (Campbell et al., 2021). As proposed in this paper and in conjunction with this anatomical reconstruction attempt, the practice should be broadened to include art, anthropology, and medical students alike as a means of better learning anatomical structures. In crafting the reconstruction of the musculature of KNM-WT 15000, I was immersed in the shape, location and function of each muscle, and the tissue therein, like never before. This reconstruction relied heavily on understanding how muscles form and how the structure of "modern" human muscles came to be, as well as the craftsmanship of forming replicas largely out of clay. Due to the ethical and practical disadvantages of more traditional means of anatomical education, namely human dissection, this thesis proposes that engaging in the creation of anatomical reconstructions could not only serve as a means of education, but also bring more structure and documentation to the practice itself. Studies have shown that using 3-dimensional models in preliminary anatomy education is an effective tool (Halmaciu et al., 2018), and engaging with the material in this hands-on manner could prove even more effective.
This master's thesis was written to demonstrate that there are more creative andethically minded ways to teach human anatomy to students, namely through artistic anatomical soft-tissue reconstruction. While for this thesis, this was done in a paleontological context, working based on a juvenile Homo erectus pelvis and femur, KNM-WT 15000, this process could be applied to modern human anatomical studies as well as other evolutionary educational contexts. Paleo-art has been a popular means of understanding our evolutionary ancestors since the 1800s (see primary references in Balter, 2009
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