Neanderthal Woman Buried in Iraq Revealed: Scientists Unveil Face of Ancient Human

Archaeologists were able to reconstruct the face of a Neanderthal woman, who lived about 75,000 years ago in a cave in northern Iraq.

The skeletal remains of the woman, known as Shandar Z, were first discovered in 2018 in the Shandar Cave, which is believed to have been used to bury the dead, according to British newspaper The Independent.

Studies carried out since the 1950s showed that Neanderthals buried their dead in the cave located in the Zagros Mountain Range in the Erbil Governorate, and that they performed burial rituals, such as placing them on a bed of flowers, which according to the newspaper.

In fact, evidence gathered from the cave site suggests that the Neanderthals were far more advanced than the primitive creatures that many have thought were built on a stocky frame and ape-like brows. -related to this ancient type of hominid.

Although Neanderthals, who are believed to have gone extinct 40,000 years ago, had very different skulls from those of humans, the reconstructed face of this Neanderthal woman, who is believed to have been in the 40s when she died, showing that their appearance was very close to humans.

These findings were revealed in a new documentary called “Secrets of the Neanderthal Man,” published by the British Broadcasting Corporation, and recently shown on the Netflix platform.

Cambridge University archaeologist Emma Pomeroy, according to the newspaper, said, “Neanderthal skulls have large facial ridges and a lack of a chin, with a prominent face in the middle that makes the nose more prominent. But Pomeroy noted that the reconstructed face shows that these differences from the current human face did not exist.

The researchers said the woman’s remains, including a flat skull about 2 cm thick, are among the best Neanderthal fossils found this century.

According to the newspaper, it is believed that the woman’s skull was crushed shortly after her death, possibly as a result of rocks falling on her.

After carefully removing the woman’s remains, including her skeleton almost to the waist, researchers from the University of Cambridge used a glue-like adhesive to attach the bones and remains around her. strengthening, including her upper and lower jaw.

Neanderthal skulls have large facial ridges and lack of a chin (AFP)

In the documentary, Pomeroy described the process as “like a giant 3D puzzle with stakes.” “It can take up to two weeks to process one block.”

The researchers then scanned the surface of the reconstructed skull and printed it using 3D printing technology, after adding layers of muscle and artificial skin to form its face published.

According to excavation analysis, Shandar Zed was buried in a ditch created by running water, which was dug by hand to accommodate her body. She was crouching on her side, her left hand was placed under her head, and a rock was placed behind her head.

The woman’s skeleton is the fifth found among a group of bodies buried at the same time and in the same place, behind a rock just two meters high in the middle of the cave.

The researchers also found traces of burnt food, including pieces of wild seeds and nuts in the soil around the body, suggesting that Neanderthals may have prepared food in the presence of the dead.

Pomeroy looks at Chander Z (AFP)

Pomeroy said: “The body of Shandar Z was accessible to living people who were cooking over the fire and eating. “For these Neanderthals, there didn’t seem to be a clear division between life and death.”

For his part, archaeologist Graeme Parker, who led the excavation in the cave, said: “What we found shows that Neanderthals may have thought about death and its consequences in ways that are not very interrelated. different from their closest evolutionary relatives. That is, us.

The mighty Neanderthal, famous for his large eyes, lived in Europe and Asia about 350,000 years ago before disappearing about 35,000 years ago after our species, which first appeared in Africa from 200,000 years ago, settlement in areas where Neanderthals lived.

Scientists say Neanderthals were intelligent, followed complex hunting techniques, and may have used spoken language and symbolic tools, in addition to their sophisticated use of fire.

Many scientists believed that the Neanderthal was very stupid and clumsy and could not survive and defeat the smarter, smarter and more skilled modern man who gave attack on his homeland.