Britain’s Oldest Northerner Was a Girl

Why this is here: The Ossick Lass’s remains represent one of the third oldest Mesolithic burials discovered in northwestern Europe, offering a rare glimpse into life immediately following the Ice Age.

Scientists at the University of Central Lancashire identified the oldest known human remains in Northern Britain as a roughly three-year-old girl. The child, nicknamed “Ossick Lass” by local archaeologist Martin Stables, lived around 11,000 years ago near present-day Cumbria, England. Researchers extracted DNA from bones discovered in Heaning Wood Bone Cave, confirming the child’s sex and approximate age.

The cave also contained pierced deer teeth and beads dated to the same period, suggesting deliberate burial practices by early hunter-gatherers. Archaeologists believe the cave held spiritual significance for these communities just after the last Ice Age. The discovery is rare for northern Britain, where glacial activity has erased much evidence of this era.

At least eight individuals were buried in the cave across different prehistoric periods, from 11,000 years ago to 4,000 years ago. Determining the full extent of the cave’s use and the relationships between those buried there remains an ongoing task for researchers.