Using DNA data and skull modeling, scientists have reconstructed the appearance of ancient Chinese Emperor Wu during the Northern Zhou Dynasty. The results were published in the journal Current Biology.
In 1996, archaeologists discovered a nearly complete skull of Emperor Wu in northwestern China. New DNA analysis techniques have made it possible to sequence many genes related to appearance and health. It turned out that the emperor had the following appearance: brown eyes, black hair. He had very dark skin and facial features typical of modern North and East Asians.
Emperor Wu reigned from 560 to 578 AD. He united the northern part of ancient China by defeating the Northern Qi Dynasty. Ethnically, he belonged to the ancient Xianbi nomads who lived on the territory of modern Mongolia. He also had ancestors among the Han Chinese, China’s main population, according to DNA analysis. This is important information for understanding how ancient humans spread across Eurasia and interacted with local people.
He lived to be 36 years old. Some archaeologists believed that he was poisoned, while others argued that his early death was caused by illness. A new study has revealed an increased risk of stroke. The discovery is consistent with historical records showing that the emperor developed problems with speech, gait and facial asymmetry (typical symptoms of paralysis).
Scientists plan to analyze the DNA of people living in ancient Changan. This city has been the capital of many Chinese empires for thousands of years. This will allow us to learn more about how people migrated and exchanged cultures in ancient China.
Earlier archaeologists I learnedAmazon warriors from Greek myths lived in the ancient Caucasus.
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Source: Gazeta
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