Latest news with #EuropeanMesolithic
Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Science
- Indian Express
How face of a woman who lived 10,500 years ago, now reconstructed, challenges ‘genetic uniformity' among European hunter-gatherers
With DNA extracted from the body's remains, researchers have reconstructed the face of a woman who lived approximately 10,500 years ago in present-day Belgium. The findings of this analysis challenge earlier assumptions about genetic uniformity among European Mesolithic populations. The team, led by scientists from Ghent University, used advanced genetic and archaeological methods to bring the prehistoric figure to life—revealing a woman with blue eyes, slightly lighter skin, and distinct facial features. Archaeologist Philippe Crombé told CNN 'good quaity' DNA was taken from the woman's skull. The woman's facial reconstruction, including skin tone, hair, and eye colour, was derived from ancient DNA analysis, while other elements like her jewelry and tattoos were informed by broader archaeological evidence. The findings challenge previous assumptions that European hunter gatherers shared the same genetic makeup, according to Project Lead Isabelle De Groote. It also shows that there was already considerable variation in skin color among different populations. 'She had lighter skin than many other Mesolithic people studied so far,' Groote said. 'From the skull, we could also tell she was between 35 and 60 years old…. She had a high nasal bridge and strong brow ridges,' she added, highlighting that the features were similar to the Cheddar Man in the UK. Crombé noted that while most Mesolithic DNA samples belong to a similar genetic group, 'it is to be expected that in the wide area of Western Europe there's some variability, as there is today.' The woman's remains were discovered in the Margaux cave in Dinant during an excavation in the late 1980s, alongside the bodies of eight other women. Many of the bodies were sprinkled with ochre—an indicator of symbolic or ritual behavior—and covered with stone fragments. One skeleton bore post-mortem cut marks. De Groote noted that the 'cave was used over several hundred of years so that they were places of memory that people would go back to despite their mobile hunter-gatherer lifestyle.' 'They were still moving around because they were entirely dependent on natural resources,' Crombé explained. 'That forced them to move their settlements regularly.' The team is now working to analyse relationships among the buried individuals and studying dietary habits, including how much fish they consumed. (With inputs from CNN)
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Hunter-gatherers made long distance-crossings of Mediterranean in boats
Hunter-gatherers were making long-distance voyages across the Mediterranean 8,500 years ago, suggesting they were more technologically advanced than previously thought. Evidence of human activity has been found in caves in Malta, which date back to the European Mesolithic, proving that communities must have travelled from the mainland – a distance of at least 60 miles of open water. Sailing had not yet been invented, so it is likely they made the arduous journey paddling in dugout canoes and may have navigated by the stars. The remains date from a thousand years before the arrival of the first farmers. 'The fact that we find hunter-gatherers on Malta at this time implies a sea crossing from Sicily in a dugout canoe,' said Prof Nicholas Vella of the University of Malta, co-investigator of the study. 'All of this predisposes knowledge by the seafarers of navigation at night, using the stars, using sea marks and of course the ability to make up for the strong sea currents that exist in this part of the Mediterranean. 'Relying on sea surface currents and prevailing winds, a crossing of about 100km is likely, with a speed of about 4km per hour. 'Even on the longest day of the year, these seafarers would have had over several hours of darkness in open water.' Malta is one of the most remote islands in the Mediterranean, lying around 62 miles off the coast of Sicily, to which it had previously been connected by a hypothesised land bridge that was submerged around 13,000 years ago. It had been assumed that Malta was too small and remote to support human populations before the dawn of farming, which also brought the development of more advanced seafaring technologies. Previously identified remains in Malta have pointed to Neolithic farmers being the first to reach the isle around 7,400 years ago. But researchers found evidence of stone tools, hearths, and cooked food waste at the cave site of Latnija in the northern Mellieħa region of Malta. 'The results add a thousand years to Maltese prehistory and force a re-evaluation of the seafaring abilities of Europe's last hunter-gatherers, as well as their connections and ecosystem impacts,' said Prof Eleanor Scerri of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (MPI-GEA) and the University of Malta. 'It leads us to ask what other connections might have existed across the Mesolithic world and the Mediterranean.' The remains of deer, birds, tortoises, and foxes were discovered, suggesting the cave dwellers were still hunting their food, as well as eating seals, fish, urchins, and crabs. Some of the animal bones found had been thought to already be extinct, suggesting that Mesolithic hunters could have been responsible for some animals dying out on Malta. The experts said archaeologists may need to rethink the technological capabilities of hunter-gatherers in the region. The research was published in the journal Nature. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
09-04-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
Hunter-gatherers made long distance-crossings of Mediterranean in boats
Hunter-gatherers were making long-distance voyages across the Mediterranean 8,500 years ago, suggesting they were more technologically advanced than previously thought. Evidence of human activity has been found in caves in Malta, which date back to the European Mesolithic, proving that communities must have travelled from the mainland – a distance of at least 60 miles of open water. Sailing had not yet been invented, so it is likely they made the arduous journey paddling in dugout canoes and may have navigated by the stars. The remains date from a thousand years before the arrival of the first farmers. 'The fact that we find hunter-gatherers on Malta at this time implies a sea crossing from Sicily in a dugout canoe,' said Prof Nicholas Vella of the University of Malta, co-investigator of the study. 'All of this predisposes knowledge by the seafarers of navigation at night, using the stars, using sea marks and of course the ability to make up for the strong sea currents that exist in this part of the Mediterranean. 'Relying on sea surface currents and prevailing winds, a crossing of about 100km is likely, with a speed of about 4km per hour. 'Even on the longest day of the year, these seafarers would have had over several hours of darkness in open water.' Malta is one of the most remote islands in the Mediterranean, lying around 62 miles off the coast of Sicily, to which it had previously been connected by a hypothesised land bridge that was submerged around 13,000 years ago. It had been assumed that Malta was too small and remote to support human populations before the dawn of farming, which also brought the development of more advanced seafaring technologies. Previously identified remains in Malta have pointed to Neolithic farmers being the first to reach the isle around 7,400 years ago. But researchers found evidence of stone tools, hearths, and cooked food waste at the cave site of Latnija in the northern Mellieħa region of Malta. 'The results add a thousand years to Maltese prehistory and force a re-evaluation of the seafaring abilities of Europe's last hunter-gatherers, as well as their connections and ecosystem impacts,' said Prof Eleanor Scerri of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (MPI-GEA) and the University of Malta. 'It leads us to ask what other connections might have existed across the Mesolithic world and the Mediterranean.' The remains of deer, birds, tortoises, and foxes were discovered, suggesting the cave dwellers were still hunting their food, as well as eating seals, fish, urchins, and crabs. Some of the animal bones found had been thought to already be extinct, suggesting that Mesolithic hunters could have been responsible for some animals dying out on Malta. The experts said archaeologists may need to rethink the technological capabilities of hunter-gatherers in the region. The research was published in the journal Nature.
