Back in 1950, archaeologists found a divided skull in a Czechia cave, leading them to believe it belonged to two individuals. Yet, modern genome sequencing revealed it was from a single woman who lived 45,000 years ago.
Meet the Zlatý Kůň Woman
A 2021 study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution presents the likely oldest reconstructed modern human genome known as Zlatý kůň woman found in Czech Republic.
According to SciTech Daily, the woman displayed longer stretches of Neanderthal DNA than the previously oldest genome from Ust'-Ishim in Siberia, suggesting she belonged to a population that existed before the groups that gave rise to present-day Europeans and Asians separated.
Earlier anthropological studies revealed similarities between Zlatý kůň's skull and individuals from pre-Last Glacial Maximum Europe, but radiocarbon dating provided inconsistent results. By combining efforts with genetic laboratories, researchers established a clearer picture of her age.
The presence of Neanderthal DNA in Zlatý kůň's genome led the team to conclude that she lived closer in time to the interbreeding event with Neanderthals. The scientists estimated she lived about 2,000 years after the last interbreeding event. Consequently, they argue that Zlatý kůň represents the oldest human genome to date, potentially even a few hundred years older than Ust'-Ishim.
The findings raise intriguing questions about the early modern humans in Europe, suggesting that they did not achieve long-term success. Zlatý kůň, along with other ancient individuals, shows no genetic continuity with modern humans who lived in Europe after 40,000 years ago.
As more advances in ancient DNA research emerge, further genetic studies of other early European individuals will contribute to reconstructing the history and decline of the first modern humans who migrated out of Africa and into Eurasia, predating present-day non-African populations.
READ ALSO: Unicorn Bones Found? Nope, Neanderthals Just Carved Artwork on Toe Bone of Extinct Giant Deer
Zlatý Kůň Woman Undergoes Facial Approximation
Live Science reported that a new online paper published on July 18 provides a facial approximation of the woman known as Zlatý kůň, offering insight into her possible appearance. Researchers used data from existing computed tomography (CT) scans of her skull, but portions of her face were missing, likely due to animal gnawing after her death.
To reconstruct these missing parts, statistical data from a 2018 skull reconstruction published in PLOS One journal and two CT scans of a modern woman and man were utilized.
The facial approximation revealed that Zlatý kůň had a robust jawline, resembling Neanderthals more than modern humans. Additionally, her endocranial volume, the space where the brain sits, was larger than that of modern individuals, suggesting a closer structural affinity with Neanderthals.
The lifelike image portrays a woman with dark, curly hair and brown eyes. Researchers generated both grayscale and speculative versions to provide a more understandable face for the general population. Despite this new insight into her possible appearance, much remains a mystery about Zlatý kůň, and her genetic data cannot provide specific details about her facial characteristics.
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