On July 3, 2017, Peru’s Ministry of Culture, culture officials, and archaeologists presented a replica of what would be the original face of the Lady of Cao. Experts used a combination of 3D imaging technology and forensic technology. Referencing her skull structure the process took roughly 10 months to create.
Now that we can look into the face of Lady Cao, it’s a wonder to imagine her life. While we experts don’t know a whole lot, a modern autopsy indicated that she died in her mid-twenties. Her death was most likely linked to complications during pregnancy or childbirth. The estimated date of death for the Lady of Cao is about 450 CE.
The Real Santa Claus
In recent years, historians have put forth an intriguing perspective, suggesting that Saint Nicholas, the beloved figure associated with Christmas, may have had a distinctive appearance. They propose that the "real Santa Claus" likely possessed olive skin, giving him a Mediterranean complexion, and sported a broken nose.
These intriguing attributes align with the depictions found in medieval Eastern Orthodox murals, providing a new lens through which to envision this iconic character. A remarkable testament to the historical reverence for Saint Nicholas is a magnificent life-size statue that can be traced back to the 16th century, and originates from German descent.
Lady of Cao
Lady of Cao is the name of a woman who came from the Moche civilization that resided in Northern Peru. The Moche people are believed to have lived from about 100 to 700 AD during the Regional Development Epoch (Pre-Columbian Peru). The mummy was discovered at the El Brujo archaeological site which is over 40 km north of Trujillo.
The discovery team of Peruvian archaeologists was led by Regulo Franco Jordan of the National Cultural Institute of Peru. The mummy was found to be covered in tattoos and wrapped in several layers of cloth. Buried alongside her were a number of ceremonial objects, jewelry, and weapons. She was discovered in 2006.
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus- the man who single-handedly put an end to global narcissism. That's right, this was the guy who figured out that the earth rotates around the sun, and not the other way around. Copernicus was a mathematician during the Renaissance period and was also the first astronomer who succeeded in creating a detailed model of the way the planet rotates.
Copernicus had quite an interesting life story. He was born in Royal Prussia, a region that today is a part of Poland. He got his doctorate in canon law and immersed himself in a number of fields, among them; astronomy, economics, politics, and mathematics. He also formulated a well-known economic principle that later became known as Gresham's law.
Unearthing Copernicus
A team of forensic scientists has found what they believe to be Nicolaus himself. The group that unearthed the skeleton in Warsaw sent it to a lab for further analysis. Based on some extremely distinctive features that both the remains and Copernicus shared, experts believe that this could have been him. Warsaw scientists revealed that both Copernicus and his supposed corpse have a scar above the brow.
Not to mention that he was also found in the area of Warsaw he is believed to have lived and died in. These features match those seen in portraits of Copernicus from the 1500s. To confirm their theory, archaeologists have mounted a search for the grave of Copernicus' maternal uncle, Lukas Watzenrode. Genetic comparison of the bones will reveal whether they belonged to uncle and nephew.