The true face of the man that inspired Santa Claus can be seen for the first time in almost 1,700 years, after scientists reconstructed his likeness from his skull. Saint Nicholas of Myra was an early Christian saint whose reputation for gift-giving inspired the Dutch folk figure of Sinterklaas, later to become Santa Claus in the US. This mythical figure would then merge with the English Father Christmas - often associated with feasting and games, rather than gifts - to create the character children adore today. Yet no depiction of the man behind the myth survives from his lifetime, with most representations of 'Old Saint Nick' dating to centuries after his death in 343 AD. Now his living face can be seen for the first time since the days of the Late Roman Empire, after experts forensically rebuilt his features using his skull.
