Scientists Unveil Face Of 10,500-Year-Old Woman From Belgium, Shedding Light On Mesolithic Life.
In a remarkable breakthrough, scientists from Ghent University have reconstructed the face of a woman who lived 10,500 years ago in what is now Belgium, offering fresh insights into the lives of prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies in Western Europe. The project, which harnesses cutting-edge DNA analysis, reveals a striking portrait of a woman with blue eyes and lighter skin, challenging long-held assumptions about the genetic uniformity of Mesolithic populations.
The woman’s remains were discovered in the Margaux Cave near Dinant during an archaeological excavation conducted between 1988 and 1989. According to a statement from Ghent University, the research team, led by archaeologist Isabelle De Groote, extracted high-quality DNA from the woman’s skull, enabling a detailed reconstruction of her facial features. This marks a significant advancement, as such precise reconstructions were not feasible at the time of the initial discovery.
Genetic analysis revealed that the woman, estimated to have been between 35 and 60 years old at the time of her death, belonged to the same Western European hunter-gatherer population as the famous Cheddar Man from Britain. However, unlike many of her contemporaries, including Cheddar Man, who are believed to have had darker skin, this woman possessed a lighter complexion and blue eyes. “This discovery suggests greater genetic diversity among early European hunter-gatherers than previously assumed,” De Groote told CNN. “She had a high nasal bridge, pronounced brow ridges, and was part of a population that showed considerable variation in skin colour.”
The Margaux Cave burial site, where the woman’s remains were found alongside those of eight other women, provides further clues about the cultural practices of these ancient communities. The site, used over several centuries, was not merely a burial ground but a place of memory, with evidence of complex rituals. “Many of the skeletons were sprinkled with ochre, a practice associated with symbolic or ritual behaviour,” De Groote noted. “Most were carefully covered with stone fragments, and one individual showed cut marks on her skull made after death, suggesting intricate burial customs.”
Philippe Crombé, another archaeologist involved in the project, highlighted the nomadic lifestyle of these Mesolithic communities. Excavations in the River Meuse basin uncovered stone tools, bones from wild game, and fish remains, indicating that these hunter-gatherers relied heavily on natural resources. “They moved through the landscape, shifting settlements as they followed wild game, plants, and fish,” Crombé explained. The woman’s appearance, including details like jewellery and tattoos, was reconstructed based on archaeological data from similar sites in the region, bringing her world vividly to life.
The reconstruction, a collaboration with Dutch artists Kennis & Kennis, was crafted using a combination of resin and silicone, blending scientific precision with artistic skill. Unveiled in Dinant on 16 June 2025, the lifelike figure has captured public imagination. The research team has invited the public to vote on a name for the woman, with options including Margo (after the cave), Freya, or Mos’anne (referring to the surrounding hills and river basin). Voting is open until the end of June via the project’s website, and from September, the reconstruction will tour museums across Belgium, including the University of Ghent, Andenne Museum Space, and the Gallo-Romeins Museum in Tongeren.
This groundbreaking work not only paints a vivid picture of a woman from the distant past but also challenges preconceptions about the genetic and cultural diversity of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. “These findings point to complex social structures and raise intriguing questions about their practices,” De Groote said. As the team continues to analyse the remains to uncover relationships between those buried together and explore their diet, this reconstruction offers a poignant connection to a world long vanished, bringing the face of prehistory into sharp focus.