A 9,000-year-old skeleton was found inside a cave in Cheddar, England, and nicknamed “Cheddar Man”. His DNA was tested and it was concluded that a living relative was teaching history about a 1/2 mile away, tracing back nearly 300 generations.
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In 1903, researchers excavating a cave in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, in the UK, stumbled upon a surprising discovery, a Homosapien skeleton who lived around 9,000 years ago, and is one of the oldest modern humans in Britain ever discovered.
It was discovered by chance during a drainage renovation in the tourist attraction of Gough's Cave.
Cheddar Man lived during the Mesolithic period approximately 9,000 years ago, most likely was a hunter-gatherer who died in his twenties, and stood about 5 feet, 5 inches.
Using cutting edge technology has enabled researchers to create a forensic reconstruction of his facial features, skin and eye coloring, and hair texture.
Using genetic material taken from the cavity of one of Cheddar Man’s molar teeth, scientists were able to identify Adrian Targett, a retired history teacher, as a direct descendant.
Analysis revealed Targett’s family line had persisted in the Cheddar Gorge area for around nine millennia, their genes being passed from mother to daughter through what is known as mitochondrial DNA which is inherited from the egg.
To put it simply: Adrian Targett and Cheddar Man have a common maternal ancestor.