Relational Database for 3D Cranial Models in the Identification of Red Army Personnel Recovered during Field Exhumations

Each year, search expeditions in the Russian Federation recover thousands of unidentifiable human remains of Soviet soldiers from the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945). Conventional identification methods – reliant upon archival records, personal effects, and osteological examination – are frequently inadequate when skeletal material is fragmented or lacks associated artefacts. This paper presents the concept and architecture of a specialised relational database designed to store and process three‐dimensional (3D) models of cranial remains recovered during exhumation campaigns. The system addresses two fundamental shortcomings: (1) the absence of a centralised digital repository for post‐excavation osteological data, and (2) the incompatibility of existing archival databases with high‐resolution 3D model integration. Recent advances in photogrammetry and structured‐light scanning now permit the acquisition of accurate digital cranial replicas directly in the field, thereby mitigating the irreversible loss of primary evidence following reburial. Following a comparative evaluation of relational and non‐relational database management systems, the study adopts a relational (SQL) model – privileging data integrity, standardised metadata management, and efficient complex querying. The proposed architecture employs a hybrid storage strategy: structured attribute data (expedition metadata, geospatial coordinates, excavation logs, and osteometric variables) reside in a relational DBMS, whereas large binary 3D model files are stored externally in a scalable repository, linked via persistent unique identifiers. These decoupling preserves system responsiveness while accommodating the voluminous storage demands of high‐resolution cranial scans. The resulting system establishes a unified digital workspace for interdisciplinary collaboration among archaeologists, physical anthropologists, forensic practitioners, and volunteer search teams. By standardizing the documentation and comparative analysis of 3D cranial morphology alongside contextual field data, the proposed database offers a replicable framework for enhancing both the efficiency and scientific validity of identification protocols in contemporary conflict archaeology.

Database model · Documentation · Field (mathematics) · Identification (biology) · Metadata · Osteology · Process (computing) · Reference database · Relational database · Architecture · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Image Processing and 3D Reconstruction · Paleopathology and ancient diseases