Discovery of one of the oldest skeletons in the Americas turns 50

50 years ago, Minas Gerais made history as the birthplace of one of the most important discoveries in science. Luzia's remains one of the oldest skeletons ever discovered in the Americas were found, in 1974, in the Lapa Vermelha region, in Pedro Leopoldo, in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (RMBH).

Luzia's first bones were found during excavations led by French archaeologist Annette Laming-Emperaire. Half a century later, the site is protected by the State Forestry Institute (IEF).

Since its discovery, the space has remained untouched and is part of the Lapa Vermelha State Natural Monument Conservation Unit (UC), made up of several archaeological sites in an area of ​​33.7 hectares.

“The main protection is the restriction of visits to researchers and scholars, in addition to fencing to prevent the presence of large animals here”, comments the unit manager, José Roberto da Costa.

Discovery

Attracted by Peter Lund's findings in Lagoa Santa, in the 19th century, and also by the cave paintings in the region, Frenchwoman Annette Laming-Emperaire led, in the 1970s, the Franco-Brazilian mission, with approximately 25 archaeologists, to excavate Lapa Vermelha .

In 1973, the team located the first cave paintings, which caught the attention of the French archaeologist.

In 1974, they found Luzia's first bones, such as arms, pelvis and legs, which were scattered throughout the archaeological site. The skull was found in 1975, in a deeper cavity. It is estimated that Luzia lived in the region around 11 thousand years ago.

Luzia

Luzia was identified as a young woman aged 20, found without other human remains and close to a cavity, with no clear explanation for her death.

“She could have run away from something, she could have hidden from something. There are no marks on her bones that indicate she ran away from a beast. But the reason is irrelevant in terms of reconstituting the settlement of the Americas”, says André Prous, French archaeologist and professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG).

According to Prous, one of Luzia's greatest contributions “was helping to increase interest in Brazilian prehistory, for having created an iconic figure, easily remembered by everyone”.

Skull

Luzia's skull was stored for 20 years at the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, a partner institution of the Franco-Brazilian mission.

In 1995, scientists began studying the morphology of the skeleton and, in 1998, research by bioanthropologist Walter Neves revealed that the skull's characteristics resembled those of modern-day Africans and aborigines of Australia.

In 1999, British forensic anthropologist Richard Neave made an artistic reconstruction of Luzia's face, with black features.

The piece was in the National Museum when the institution caught fire in 2018. However, 80% of the fragments were found by rescue teams. Currently, there is a replica of Luzia at the PUC Minas Museum of Natural Sciences, in Belo Horizonte.

Although the image of Luzia, with black features, is popularly known, new studies, based on archaeogenetic techniques, open the discussion to other theories about Luzia's origin.