75,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Woman's Face Painstakingly Recreated

Researchers at the University of Cambridge reconstruct the face of Shanidar Z, offering new insights into Neanderthal life and inter-species interactions.

The reconstructed face of a Neanderthal woman, dubbed Shanidar Z, challenges previous perceptions of Neanderthals as primitive, revealing a more human-like appearance.
Shanidar Z was discovered in a cave in Iraqi Kurdistan, where Neanderthals repeatedly buried their dead, suggesting emotional intelligence and ritualistic behaviors.
Detailed reconstruction involved piecing together over 200 fragments of the crushed skull, followed by 3D printing and artistic reconstruction to visualize her appearance.
The findings indicate potential interbreeding between Neanderthals and humans, with implications that most modern humans retain Neanderthal DNA.
The site's repeated use for burials over millennia highlights a sophisticated understanding of death and community among Neanderthals.

South China Morning Post