Red Lady of El Mirón facts for kids

The Red Lady of El Mirón is the skeleton of a young woman from the Stone Age. She lived during a time called the Magdalenian period. Her remains were found in the El Mirón Cave in Cantabria, a region in northern Spain.

Discovering the Red Lady

Scientists found the Red Lady's skeleton in 2015. A team of archaeologists from three universities shared their discovery. These universities were the University of Burgos, the University of Cantabria, and the University of New Mexico. Their findings were so important they filled a whole science magazine.

The woman was likely between 35 and 40 years old when she died. Her bones were covered in a red powder called ochre. This red color is why she is known as the "Red Lady." Scientists used a method called Radiocarbon dating to learn her age. They found she was buried about 18,700 years ago.

Exploring El Mirón Cave

Archaeologists, led by Lawrence Straus and Manuel González Morales, had been exploring El Mirón Cave for many years. They started their work there in 1996. Over time, they found many ancient remains. In 2010, they looked into a small space behind a large limestone block inside the cave. This is where they found the Red Lady.

Most of her skeleton was still together, except for her skull and some bones. This suggests that she was carefully buried after she died. The archaeologists believe the red ochre and the big limestone block marked her grave. They also found a "V" shape carved on the cave wall. This carving might have been a special sign for a woman's burial.

Ancient Burial Clues

Scientists also found some interesting clues on her leg bone, called the tibia. There were marks that showed an animal had bitten the bone. This animal was likely a carnivore, like a dog or a wolf. It probably bit the bone after her body had started to decay.

Later, her skull and other long bones might have been moved. Perhaps they were put on display or buried again somewhere else. These actions suggest that the people living at that time had special ways of burying their dead. They likely had important burial rituals.

See also

In Spanish: Dama Roja del Mirón para niños