A team of archaeologists has painstakingly assembled the fragments of a Neanderthal woman’s skull dating back 75,000 years.
The discovery was made at the Shanidar Cave in northern Iraq by a team from Cambridge University and Liverpool John Moores University.
In conjunction with the production of a Netflix documentary titled Secrets of The Neanderthals, the researchers succeeded in reconstructing the skull, which led to the facial recreation of the individual.
The remains were found flattened to a thickness of about two centimeters back in 2018, having been compressed by a rockfall shortly after death and further flattened by millennia of sediment accumulation.
The excavation team referred to the remains as Shanidar Z.
A Complex Restoration: The ‘High stakes 3D jigsaw puzzle’
This intricate project involved the manual reassembly of more than 200 bone pieces.
Tooth enamel protein sequencing suggested the individual was female.
Age estimates based on tooth wear indicated she may have been in her 40s, with some teeth worn to the root. The stature of Shanidar Z, standing about five feet tall with some of the smallest adult Neanderthal arm bones on record, further supports the female identification.
Dr. Emma Pomeroy from Cambridge’s Department of Archaeology described the reconstruction process as akin to solving a “high stakes 3D jigsaw puzzle” with precision and patience.
“Cleaning each skull fragment gently and reinforcing it with glue and consolidant was crucial due to the fragile nature of the bone,” she said.
“Processing a single block sometimes spanned more than two weeks.”
Revelations at the Shanidar Cave
The remains of 10 other Neanderthals had been previously excavated at Shanidar Cave. One skeleton was encased in ancient pollen, initially thought to imply a burial with flowers.
Professor Chris Hunt, from Liverpool John Moores University, led a study concluding that bees, rather than humans, deposited the pollen.
After Shanidar Z’s discovery, analysis of the surrounding soil showed microscopic charred food remnants, indicating Neanderthals prepared and consumed food near their dead, signifying a possible cultural connection with the site.
Dr. Pomeroy: “Shanidar Z’s body was found in close proximity to where living individuals cooked and ate. In this Neanderthal community, death did not mark a rigid separation from the living. It appears this spot was repeatedly chosen for burial over extended periods – the burials could be either a mere coincidence or part of a deliberate tradition.”
“Shanidar Z likely held valuable knowledge for her group, and now, 75,000 years later, she continues to be a source of insight for us.”
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The Reconstruction Process of Shanidar Z
A challenge faced by archaeologists was the delicacy of the remains they unearthed. To extract Shanidar Z from the dense layers of sediment, the team fortified the bones and the encasing soil with a glue-like consolidant. Shanidar Z was then cautiously removed in small, foil-wrapped sections.
In a Cambridge laboratory, each block underwent micro-CT scanning before the methodical procedure of glue dilution and the careful extraction of bone fragments guided by these scans began.
Following the skull reconstruction, it was scanned and 3D printed for the groundwork of the facial reconstruction.
The transformation was executed by renowned paleoartists Adrie and Alfons Kennis, who meticulously built up the muscle and skin layers to craft the face.
FAQs about the Reconstruction of Shanidar Z
Q: How old is the Neanderthal woman’s skull that was reconstructed?
A: The skull is approximately 75,000 years old.
Q: Where was the skull discovered?
A: It was discovered at the Shanidar Cave site in northern Iraq.
Q: What documentary features the reconstruction of Shanidar Z?
A: The reconstruction is featured in the Netflix documentary “Secrets of The Neanderthals”.
Q: How was Shanidar Z identified as female?
A: The identification was made through protein sequencing on tooth enamel and analysis of the physical stature and skeletal remains.
Q: Who performed the actual facial reconstruction?
A: The reconstruction was carried out by Adrie and Alfons Kennis, twin brothers who are experts in paleoart.
Conclusion
The reconstruction of Shanidar Z offers a unique window into the life of Neanderthals, our ancient relatives. It reveals their burial practices, daily living conditions, and possibly even social structures. The careful and detailed work by archaeologists and paleoartists has allowed the revival of a face from the distant past, providing a tangible connection to humanity’s history and evoking further curiosity and respect for the legacy of our species.