Additional comparison to DNA from modern day members of the Della Gherardesca family left Mallegni about 98 percent sure that he had identified the remains correctly.
Analysis of the rib bones of the Ugolino skeleton revealed traces of magnesium, but no zinc, implying he had consumed no meat in the months before his death.
[1][2] During an excavation in the 1970s, bones were discovered beneath the paving of Santa Reparata at a spot close to the location given by Vasari, but unmarked on either level.
The new face shows softer traits: large eyes, a rounded jaw and a gentler expression, although the nose remains crooked.
The multidisciplinary project to reconstruct Dante's face lasted about two months, using a plaster model of the skull, 3D computer technology, and other techniques to simulate muscles and skin.