DNA Helps Scientists Recreate Face of 10,500-Year-Old Woman

Researchers at Ghent University have successfully reconstructed the face and life of a prehistoric Belgian woman who lived 10,500 years ago. By combining anatomical, genetic, and archaeological data, the team was able to bring to life not only her facial features but also her living conditions.

The reconstruction is part of the ROAM project (Regional Outlook on Ancient Migration), an interdisciplinary initiative involving archaeologists, bioanthropologists, geneticists, and artists. The team collaborated with Dutch artists Kennis & Kennis to recreate the woman's likeness.

The remains of this Mesolithic woman were discovered in 1988 in the Margaux cave near Dinant, alongside the remains of eight other women.

At that time the remains were uncovered, ancient DNA research was not yet possible. But nearly 35 years later, scientists were able to extract well-preserved DNA from the skull, allowing them to investigate her origins more deeply.

Researchers believe she belonged to the same Western European hunter-gatherer community as Cheddar Man from Great Britain. 

Light skin, blue eyes, and a rich cultural past

DNA analysis revealed that the Margaux woman had slightly lighter skin than most other Mesolithic individuals studied in Western Europe, along with blue eyes just like Cheddar Man.

According to Dr. Maite Rivollat, the project's chief geneticist, this finding is significant because it challenges the earlier belief that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in Europe had uniform features. Instead, it points to a greater diversity in physical traits such as skin and eye-colour.

Professor Isabelle De Groote, project leader and human origins researcher at Ghent University, said the woman was between 35 and 60 years old at the time of her death. “In anthropology, it is difficult to be more accurate than this with just a preserved skull and jaw,” she told MailOnline.

The artistic team also used archaeological evidence like shells, pigments, tools, and remains of camps to reconstruct not just her appearance but her entire life. With the help of artist Ulco Glimmerveen, they recreated details of her daily life, from hunting methods and transportation to the flora and fauna surrounding her.

Philippe Crombe, an archaeologist on the project team, noted that features like her skin, hair, and eye color were based on DNA analysis, while other aspects such as her tattoos and jewellery were informed by archaeological findings from the region. This helped researchers visualise her lifestyle and daily experiences.

“They were still moving around because they were entirely dependent on natural resources: Wild game, wild plants, fish,” Crombe explained.

“So that forced them to move through the landscape and relocate their settlements.”

For now, she remains known as the Margaux woman, but soon, she will have a proper name. The public is now invited to name the Margaux woman through an online poll, choosing from three options: Margo, Freya, and Mos'anne. Beginning in September, she will be featured in a traveling exhibition across museums in Belgium.

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