Cheddar Man

Cheddar Man, a remarkable figure from the Mesolithic period, is the oldest near-complete human skeleton discovered in Great Britain. Unearthed in 1903 from Gough's Cave in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, his remains date back to approximately nine thousand years ago, providing invaluable insights into early human life in Western Europe.

This ancient hunter-gatherer met a violent end, as indicated by a large crater-like lesion found above the right orbit of his skull, suggesting he may have suffered from a bone infection. His skeletal remains are now housed in the Human Evolution gallery at London's Natural History Museum, where they continue to intrigue researchers and visitors alike.

Genetic analysis of Cheddar Man's nuclear DNA reveals that he was a typical representative of the Western European hunter-gatherer population of his time. His likely physical appearance included blue-green eyes, dark brown or black hair, and dark skin, with no genetic adaptation for lactase persistence into adulthood, highlighting the dietary habits of his era.