A stunning archaeological discovery in Cumbria has changed some parts of Britain’s prehistoric timeline, because the latest DNA test has shown that the “oldest northerner” was an infant around three years old who lived around 11,000 years ago.
Prehistoric human bones discovered at Henningwood Bone Cave, near Great Urswick, represent one of the oldest known Mesolithic burials in northern Britain. Archaeologists from the University of Central Lancashire were able to piece together information about this child, referred to as ‘Ossick Lass’, using radiocarbon dating methods, ancient DNA testing, and archaeology.
Ancient DNA reveals identity of ‘Britain’s oldest northerner’
The remains were initially found during excavations conducted by local archaeologist Martin Staples inside a cave near Great Urswick in Cumbria.
In addition, results using DNA analysis showed that the child was female and was likely between two and a half to three and a half years old when she died.As experts from the University of Cambridge explained, it is estimated that the burials date back to about 11 thousand years ago, that is, to the Early Mesolithic Age, after the end of the last ice age. The findings were presented in the Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society and were described as one of the most important prehistoric finds in northern Britain for many years.
According to lead researcher, Dr. Rick Peterson:“This is the first time we can determine the age of the child’s remains and confirm that they belong to a woman.”The child was given the nickname “Ossick Lass” using the local Cumbrian dialect, which translates to “Urswick Girl”, to help connect the child to the place where she was buried thousands of years ago.
Mesolithic burial sheds light on Prehistoric Britain
According to archaeologists, the cave was specially chosen for burial practices during different time periods of prehistoric times.
Besides the child’s skeleton, archaeologists also discovered shell necklaces and a deer tooth necklace, which also dated to the same period.These finds indicate the existence of appropriate and important funerary practices carried out by hunter-gatherers who may have considered the caves to be sacred places. As archaeologists report, similar examples of cave burial practices have been found in other parts of northern Europe.As Dr. Peterson noted,“Most modern hunters regard caves as a doorway to the spirit world.”What makes this discovery even more significant is the fact that prehistoric human remains are rare compared to other parts of England, especially southern England or Wales. This is mainly due to glaciers during the Ice Age that changed the geography of the area.
Why does the discovery of the Urswick Girl matter?
But for archaeologists, this discovery reveals something much deeper.
This is an insight into how human emotions were shaped in the lives of the first inhabitants of the British Isles. The child’s careful burial indicates that emotional relationships, ritual practices, and organized society existed long before the advent of written sources.In describing the feeling of making this discovery, Martin Staples stated that he had buried someone else’s child “over 11,000 years ago.” Furthermore, experts found evidence that the cave was used as a burial place for at least eight people who died in different periods of prehistory.Thanks to scientific advances in ancient DNA, discoveries such as the Ossick Lass are becoming more and more common and allow scientists to understand the way of life of the first inhabitants of the British Isles after the end of the last ice age.
