Tepexpan man facts for kids
The Tepexpan Man is the name given to a very old skeleton found in central Mexico. It was discovered in February 1947 by archaeologist Helmut de Terra. The skeleton was found near the shore of what used to be Lake Texcoco.
Scientists first thought the skeleton belonged to a man. However, later studies showed it was actually a woman. She lived a very long time ago, before Christopher Columbus arrived in America. This time is called the Pre-Columbian era. The skeleton is at least 10,000 years old. It was found close to mammoth bones.
The body was found lying face down. Her arms were under her chest, and her legs were pulled up. It seems the body sank into the soft mud around the lake. This might be why some parts, like the shoulders and hips, are missing. It is also possible the body was placed in the lake originally.
Life Around Ancient Lake Texcoco
Scientists have studied what the area around Lake Texcoco was like when the Tepexpan Woman lived. They looked at the soil, clay, and ash from volcanoes. They also studied tiny fossils of plants and animals. These included diatoms, which are tiny algae, and ostracods, which are small crustaceans.
When the Tepexpan Woman was alive, Lake Texcoco was very deep. It was full of fish and surrounded by many trees. Over the past 20,000 years, the environment around the lake changed a lot. There were several volcanic eruptions. The water levels in the lake changed, and different types of vegetation grew there. These big changes in the environment affected the people living in the area. Today, Lake Texcoco has almost completely dried up. It is now on the edge of Mexico City.
Scientists have used special dating methods to figure out the age of the skeleton. One method suggests the skeleton is about 4,700 years old. This would mean she lived during a time called the Holocene period. The area around Lake Texcoco saw many changes. There were shifts between wet and dry periods. The types of plants and water conditions also changed. All these changes had a big impact on the people who lived there long ago.
See also
In Spanish: Hombre de Tepexpan para niños
