A woman who lived 10,000 years ago now has a face and soon a name

Researchers have reconstructed the face of a prehistoric woman who lived in what is now Belgium. Everyone is invited to vote for her name by June 30, before perhaps seeing the bust in person as it tours various museums.

1 min read. Published on June 18, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

Her skull, discovered in 1988 during an excavation of the Margaux Cave in the Meuse Valley, is one of the oldest human remains found in Belgium. Now, thanks to analysis of the genetic material present in the bone, a team from Ghent University, with the help of the Dutch artist duo Kennis & Kennis, has restored the face of this woman who lived 10,500 years ago.

“DNA analysis reveals that she had blue eyes and lighter skin than what was thought for hunter-gatherers of the time,” reports RTBF .

Isabelle De Groote, who led the team, told The Times that the result was “very surprising.” “Until now, most studies have shown that people [living in western Europe at that time] had much darker skin,” she said.

She adds:

“This indicates that there was greater diversity in skin pigmentation than previously thought.”

This isn't the first time scientists have reconstructed the faces of people who lived in the past based on information obtained by analyzing their DNA. There were Egyptians thousands of years old, Neanderthals, and even Robespierre. While the results are fascinating, it's important to keep in mind that interpretations are numerous. This is clearly the case here with hairstyles and feathers used as earrings.

Presentation of the “woman of Margaux”, on June 16, 2025, in the Meuse valley, where she lived 10,500 years ago. — Presentation of the “Margaux woman”, June 16, 2025, in the Meuse Valley, where she lived 10,500 years ago. photo Department of Archaeology Ghent University

As for the hyper-realistic bust of this prehistoric woman, it will travel from museum to museum starting at the end of August. But before this tour begins, Ghent University is holding an electronic vote, open until June 30, to name this Mesolithic woman. Will she be called Margo, Freyà, or Mos'anne? You have your say. It's here.