A team at Ghent University in Belgium has recreated the face of a Mesolithic woman using DNA, archaeology, and art. The woman lived about 10,500 years ago, and her remains were found in 1988 in a cave near Dinant. Thanks to modern genetic tools, scientists uncovered her appearance, ancestry, and daily life. She is part of the ROAM project and will soon be featured in a museum tour.

BulletsIn

• Face of 10,500-year-old woman reconstructed using DNA in Belgium
• Remains found in 1988 in Margaux cave, near Dinant
• Belonged to Western European hunter-gatherer group, like UK’s Cheddar Man
• DNA showed blue eyes, lighter skin—suggesting diverse Mesolithic traits
• Woman was 35–60 years old at death, based on skull and jaw analysis
• Art team used shells, tools, pigments to depict her lifestyle
• Tattoos, jewellery inspired by archaeology; hair, eye color from DNA
• Community lived by hunting, fishing, foraging—moved often for resources
• Public to vote on her name: Margo, Freya, or Mos’anne
• She’ll feature in touring Belgian museum exhibition from September