THE ANCIENT face of a Neolithic woman has been painstakingly recreated by archaeologists and sculptors using a 7,500-year-old skull.

She is believed to have died in Gibraltar aged between 30 and 40, and has been named Calpeia by experts.

7 The face of a Neolithic woman has been painstakingly recreated Credit: Johnny Bugeja/Gibraltar Chronicle

7 The head is based on an incomplete skull found in Gibraltar in 1996 Credit: Johnny Bugeja/Gibraltar Chronicle

Her skull was first found in a cave burial near Europa Point in 1996.

But segments of her DNA have now been extracted and analysed by experts.

This allowed experts to learn about Calpeia's origins and how she may have looked, as revealed by the Gibraltar Chronicle.

Sculptors then spent six months reconstructing her face to reveal the first known Gibraltarian – though she may have Turkish origin.

7 Calpeia is believed to have largely Turkish origin Credit: Gibraltar Chronicle / YouTube

7 The skull dates back around 7,500 years Credit: Gibraltar Chronicle / YouTube

"She was in a burial and we now know she was a she, as she comes from the Neolithic period of around 5,400BC," said Professor Clive Finlayson, of the Gibraltar National Museum.

"We were able to extract DNA from the skull so we know a number of things.

"We know she was a female, we know she had features associated with dark hair, dark eyes.

"And the interesting thing was when we look at her ancestry, 10% of her genes were local Mesolithic hunter gatherers', but 90% of her genes were from Anatolia [modern-day Turkey]."

It's not clear how Calpeia died, or her exact age.

However, her skull had been deformed after her burial so reconstruction required reshaping a scanned copy of the skull.

By filling in missing areas, experts were able to get a better idea of how she looked.

Real human hair was also used to create the sculpture.

7

7 Real human hair was used to create the sculpture Credit: Gibraltar Chronicle / YouTube

Neolithic people – the key facts Here's what you need to know... The Neolithic period is the final division of the Stone Age

It began around 12,000 years ago, lasting right up until 1200 BC in some parts of the world

It's marked by the first developments of farming in the Near East, and then later in other areas of the world

Neolithic people made large cultural changes, including using wild and domestic crops

There is also evidence of domesticated animals in Neolithic culture

Most Neolithic people lived in small tribes, taking shelter in rudimentary permanent houses

They would typically wear animal skins, although wool cloth and linen may have been available later in the period

In Northern Europe, the Neolithic period ended around 1700 BC

"This young lady – I think she was late 30s/early 40s – lived in Gibraltar seven and a half thousand years ago," said Dr John Cortes, Gibraltar's Minister for Heritage.

"I am told there was no agriculture in Gibraltar at that time. They were probably fishing, living off the sea and living off the land.

"But she was in Gibraltar, a Gibraltarian, though whether she was born here or travelled here we will never know.

"But, so many of us born here or who travelled here consider ourselves Gibraltarian."

7 Neolithic people would have lived in small tribes, sheltering in permanent houses Credit: Alamy

MOST READ IN SCIENCE WATCH THIS SPACE How to watch the International Space Station TONIGHT Video STARSHIP BLOOPER SpaceX EXPLODES Starship rocket tank on purpose during dramatic test MELTDOWN Global sea levels to jump by 2.5 METRES due to melting Antarctic ice HORROR-SCOPE You've been reading the wrong horoscope for years because the stars have moved TIDAL TERROR Sea level 'doomsday' simulator reveals whether YOUR home would be wiped out EYES TO THE SKIES Which planets can you see from Earth with the naked eye?

In other news, a Swedish sculptor has revealed the faces of a "Peruvian Queen" and the founder of Stockholm.

A 3D model of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti's face sparked a race row.

And Tutankhamun's "cursed" golden sarcophagus has been pictured outside the boy king's tomb for the first time ever.

Which period of history would you most like to visit? Let us know in the comments!

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk