A website is being used to front an appeal to identify the bodies of mystery people found over the past 50 years.
Police Scotland have re-opened 21 cold cases dating from 1970 in the hope that it will provide closure for the families and friends of the dead.
The website includes key details of grim finds north of the Border, as well as photos of some of the victims and facial reconstruction imagery.
There is also a list detailing possessions discovered alongside the bodies or body parts.
In one case, a victim was found with a Walther automatic pistol wrapped in green plastic, a Ronson cigarette lighter, and an empty Pepsi bottle.
The earliest file dates back to July 30, 1970, when the skeletal remains of a man were found at Kiveachy Moor in Moray.
The most recent case on the database is that of a man aged between 20 and 40 who was found hanging in woodland Balmore, near Glasgow, in October 2011.
Other cases only involve the discovery of body parts. A person’s right foot, inside a shoe, washed ashore in Dundee on June 4, 1985.
In nearby Broughty Ferry, a partial lower left leg washed ashore on March 20, 2007.
The UK-wide website records about 120 unidentified cases each year and has about 1200 open unidentified cases on its database.
Officers hope the website “will help bring closure to families and friends if an individual is identified”.
They added: “It is hoped it also empowers the families to feel they are playing an active part in searching for their loved ones.”
● Anyone with information which may help identify any of the people involved should contact police or visit www.missingpersons.police.uk online.
Male - aged 40-60, found December 2010
This man was found hanging from a tree in Burnside Plantation, Dumfriesshire. He was believed to have been dead for a number of weeks.
He was found with a green Hunter’s hat, a Swiss Army Knife and a copy of Italian newspaper La Republic, dated July 22, 2010.
Female - aged 30-50, found November 2006
This lady’s decomposed body was found on Port Logan Beach, Stranraer. It is believed she could have been in the water for up to six months. She was wearing black size 10 Bay Trading trousers and tan-coloured tights.
Male - aged 20-40, found October 2011
A male body was found hanging in dense woods close to Golf Club Road, Balmore, near Glasgow. It is believed he was dead for several months as the remains were almost skeletal.
He was found with a Grey Nike satchel containing toiletries, headphones, a lighter and cigarettes.
Male - aged 20 - 30, found August 1984
This man was about 5ft 8in tall and was found in the River Tay at Tayport, Fife. He may have attended the Open Golf Championship, which had been held in St Andrews that year.
He had short dark brown hair, only one testicle, and was wearing a brown zip up jerkin with ‘Yorkers’ labels.
Male - aged 50-65, found May 1978
This man was discovered in a hay shed on Rockhall Mains Farm, Nithsdale, Kirkcudbrightshire. He is believed to be have died of natural causes.
He had collar length grey hair and long sideburns and had a pair of glasses in a case.
Male- aged 16-25, found March 2007
The partial left lower leg of a young man wearing a size nine Reebok trainer and black Umbro sock washed ashore on Broughty Ferry Beach, Dundee. Police believe it may have been in the water for months rather than weeks.
Female - aged about 65, found October 1972
The body of this ‘thin’ woman was found on the beach in North Berwick, East Lothian. She had a mole near her eye and was wearing a brown corduroy jacket, green skirt, pink jumper and suede Sculler shoes. She also had a watch with a Findus black leather strap.
Male - aged 25-40, found December 1987
The body of this homeless man, thought to be from northern Scotland, was found hanging in Edinburgh. He may have been heading to the Edinburgh Festival to work as a street artist.
He had a mole on his left cheek and a scar on one of the fingers of his right hand.
Female - aged about 60, found June 1971
This woman was found at Kingsbarns, in Fife. She was medium build and had no teeth. A post-mortem found two burr holes above and behind each ear as a result of surgery.
Male/Female - aged 20-60, found June 1985
Very little is known about this Dundee case which involved the discovery of a person’s right foot. Police can’t tell whether the victim is a man or woman or how old they may have been.
