Chinese researchers have digitally recreated the facial contours and features of a man from the Hongshan culture, during the Neolithic period, roughly 5,000-years-old. Using advanced 3D technology, the 25–30-year-old was recreated from a relatively well-preserved skull excavated from a Hongshan culture tomb in Chaoyang, Liaoning. Researchers from the Liaoning provincial institute of cultural relics and archaeology and the School of Archaeology at Jilin University used their powers and brought in various disciplines – anthropology, anatomy, computer science, and art. They determined the individual’s gender, age, and recreated facial features down to the T (literally) – eye, skin, and hair color included! The anthropologists helped with contextual knowledge about cultural markers and lifestyle, while the anatomists helped with the skull structure and other facial details. Extracting and studying ancient DNA was tough, and so was corroboration, given the absence of details and written record. Over 4 million points on the skulls had to be recorded for data-processing before any conclusions could be drawn. “It is the first reconstruction based on an actual Hongshan ancestor’s skull. The reconstructed face can be considered the closest to reality achieved to date,” deputy director Li Hiabo told Xinhua. Read moreSection: NewsEvolution & Human OriginsHuman OriginsScienceAsiaRead Later