Portuguese 
Spanish 
2 min of reading 
0 comments 
Reconstruction Reveals The Face Of The “Woman Of Margaux,” Prehistoric Hunter Who Lived In Belgium More Than 10 Thousand Years Ago
More than 10 thousand years ago, a woman lived in what is now Belgium. Now, archaeologists and artists have managed to recreate her face with impressive details. The project combined science and art to show what this Stone Age inhabitant looked like.
The Find And The Reconstruction
The remains were found in 1988 in a Belgian cave. The woman became known as the “Woman of Margaux,” a name inspired by the location of the discovery.
Only recently did a team from Ghent University in Belgium decide to work with the Kennis brothers, Adrie and Alfons. They are Dutch artists famous for hyper-realistic reconstructions of prehistoric humans.
-
While scientists test giant balls on the seabed, a startup wants to sink concrete and steel tanks held by cages filled with stones up to 700 meters deep to transform compressed air into an invisible underwater battery.
-
Former NASA engineer transforms drones into “seed helicopters” capable of firing 300 balls per minute, targeting degraded areas with half-meter precision, and planting up to 40 million trees per year in a new race for aerial reforestation.
-
Brazil deploys drones to scatter seeds on nearly inaccessible slopes and attempts to transform degraded hills into forests with aerial planting up to 100 times faster, in a green offensive launched in Rio de Janeiro.
-
Second half of June brings more intense cold, polar air mass, and above-average rainfall in Brazil
Using 3D images of the skull, high-resolution printed models, and DNA fragments, the scientists created a detailed image of the hunter-gatherer. She lived during the Mesolithic period, right after the end of the last ice age.
Characteristics Revealed By DNA
The genetic analysis indicated that the woman’s skin tone was medium – neither very light nor very dark.
According to researchers, it was darker than that of modern Europeans, but lighter than that of other individuals from the same period in Western Europe.
Her eyes were likely blue or light-colored.
This information helps to better understand the diversity of ancient peoples. For archaeologist Isabelle De Groote from Ghent University, the features of the Woman of Margaux show that populations of the time had more variety than previously thought.
She states that the skin pigmentation was “more heterogeneous than previously believed.”
Stone Age: Comparison With The “Cheddar Man”
The new reconstruction was compared with another famous fossil: the “Cheddar Man” from England. The two lived in close periods.
The Englishman had dark skin and blue eyes. Margaux, on the other hand, had lighter skin, showing how appearance could vary even among similar groups.
Interpretation And Limits Of Science
The estimated age of the woman was between 35 and 60 years. Scientists believe that she had a nomadic lifestyle with a lot of sun exposure. This also influenced the artists’ choices in skin coloring.
But experts warn: ancient DNA provides clues, not certainties. There is always room for interpretation in these reconstructions. Nevertheless, the work offers a rare glimpse into the past.
With information from Super Interessante.
Be the first to react!