Dragon Man. Scientists have reconstructed the appearance of our ancestor who lived 150 thousand years ago

December 3, 21:02 Share:

Ancient hominid had a huge head (Photo: Cicero Moraes)

Impressive facial reconstruction of Homo longi, formerly known as “ Dragon Man” provides a unique look at the appearance of our ancestor who lived approximately 150 thousand years ago.

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The result is based on detailed analysis of data obtained from the 2021 study, as well as the use of digital technologies and modeling techniques.

Named after the Heilong Jiang River in Harbin Province, Homo longi turned out to be a member of Homo sapiens and lived at a time when the human race interacted with Neanderthals and Denisovans. Recognized by its huge head, square eye sockets, flat cheekbones and massive teeth, Homo longi now appears before us thanks to a careful reconstruction.

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Cicero Moraes, a Brazilian facial reconstruction expert, used a digital model of the Homo longi skull, 2021 data, and a complete Homo erectus skull to fill gaps in the jaw and teeth. Then added soft tissue markers taken from CT scans of modern humans and chimpanzees. Thus, a digital bust was created, which according to Moraes is “ anatomically consistent”.

The final result includes additional artistic elements such as hair to add life to the model. According to Moraes, the head circumference of Homo longi was 65.1 cm, a record among all known hominids.

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Experts note that the enormous size of Homo longi is likely the result of adaptation to the cold temperatures in Harbin, supporting the theory of a close connection between the physical features of the ancient man and the environment.

This facial reconstruction provides valuable insight into the appearance of Homo longi, marking a new stage in the study of the history of human evolution and adaptation to the environment.