Leanderthal Lady is the skeletal remains of a prehistoric woman discovered in January 1983[1] near the city of Leander, Texas. The remains were alternatively labeled "Leanne."[2] Both names were inspired by the proximity of the site to the town of Leander, a suburb of Austin. Contrary to her name, the Leanderthal Lady lived during the end of the Ice Age, long after the Neanderthals.[3]
Leanne was discovered by the Texas Department of Transportation at the Wilson-Leonard Brushy Creek Site (an ancient Native American campsite) during the construction of the highway RM 1431. Scientists described the location as "one of the oldest intact human burial sites discovered in the United States." The land, once donated to the Archaeological Conservancy, was returned to its previous owners after a lengthy legal battle. Leanne's remains and artifacts from the site are kept at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory in Austin.[4]
Analysis
editCarbon dating and stratigraphic analysis showed the remains to be 10,000 to 13,000 years old.[5] The skeleton is of a 5-foot-3-inch (1.60 m) tall female who was approximately eighteen to thirty years old at the time of death. The find was significant as one of the oldest and most complete human skeleton finds in North America.[6][7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Charpentier, Marisa (2019-03-28). "'Leanderthal Lady' lives on decades after her discovery". impact. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
- ^ "Leanne's Burial". www.texasbeyondhistory.net. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
- ^ Garcia-Buckalew, Bob. "The woman buried over 10,000 years ago near modern-day Leander". KVUE. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- ^ Osborn, Claire. "Legal fight ends over Leander's Ice Age archaeological site". The Austin-American Statesman. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ "Leander Man Thinks He May Have Found Fossilized Human Skull In Backyard". Austin, TX Patch. 2017-09-23. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
- ^ Texas Historical Commission. "Leanderthal Lady - Texas Historical Marker". StoppingPoints.
- ^ Bob Parvin. "Leanderthal Lady: Travel the Texas Time Machine Webcast". Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Archived from the original on 2009-07-07.