The ‘first black Briton’…was white! Reanalysis of ‘Beachy Head Woman’ confirms she was from southern England and NOT sub-Saharan Africa
A woman billed as the ‘first black Briton’ was in fact white and from southern England, according to new DNA analysis.
For years it has been believed that ‘Beachy Head Woman’ – an ancient skeleton who was buried in the East Sussex beauty spot – was from sub–Saharan Africa.
Experts were so sure of her ancestry that a plaque celebrating her African origin was placed in a nearby cricket club.
Later theories indicated the 2,000–year–old individual may have actually been from southern Europe – ‘most likely Cyprus’.
Now, archaeologists from the Natural History Museum have finally laid the matter to rest, declaring her origins were in fact much closer to home.
They, along with a team from University College London, have announced that Beachy Head Woman descended from the local British population of Roman–era southern England.
‘By using state–of–the–art DNA techniques we were able to resolve the origins of this individual,’ Dr William Marsh said.
‘We show she carries genetic ancestry that is most similar to other individuals from the local population of Roman–era Britain.’
A previous facial reconstruction of Beachy Head Woman, when it was believed she was from sub–Saharan Africa (left) compared to the latest description, in which she has blue eyes, light hair and ‘intermediate’ skin pigmentation (right)
The plaque of Beachy Head Woman, previously thought to be the ‘first black Briton’, was taken down from the East Dean cricket club several years ago after it emerged she was likely from Cyprus. Now, experts have concluded she hailed from southern England
The skeletal remains of the young female adult were uncovered in the collections of Eastbourne Town Hall in 2012
The skeletal remains of the young female adult were uncovered in the collections of Eastbourne Town Hall in 2012.
Details on the box she was found in suggested that her skeleton had been unearthed at the nearby headland, Beachy Head, in the 1950s.
She was so well–preserved that her skull was sent off for facial reconstruction, carried out by Professor Caroline Wilkinson at Dundee University – one of the country’s top specialists.
She, along with two other experts, agreed that the individual showed many traits of being from sub–Saharan Africa – a claim that formed a display at the Eastbourne Museum.
Then, in 2017, unpublished DNA work suggested she was more likely to have come from the Mediterranean rather than Africa, possibly Cyprus.
But the new study – the most comprehensive to date – reveals she was of ‘local British ancestry’.
‘Initial analyses indicated possible sub–Saharan origin, with Beachy Head Woman thus presented as one of the earliest Africans in Britain,’ the team wrote in the Journal of Archaeological Science.
‘We find no signals of admixture that would suggest recent sub–Saharan ancestry. We present high quality ancient DNA data indicating that Beachy Head Woman has a strong genetic affinity to individuals from rural Britain during the Roman occupation and modern–day Britons.’
Details on the box she was found in suggested that she skeleton had been unearthed at the nearby headland, Beachy Head, in the 1950s
Experts used state–of–the–art technology that analysed her facial bone structure and created a 3D reconstruction
DNA analysis reveals the woman descended from the local British population, the experts say. Lighter colours denotes a greater genetic affinity between Beachy Head Woman and the population in question
The researchers said that radiocarbon dating shows the woman died between 129 and 311AD, corresponding with the Roman occupation of Britain.
Analysis of her skeletal remains suggest that she was around 18–25 years old when she died and stood at just over 4.9 feet (1.5 metres) tall.
Her DNA indicates she would have had blue eyes, ‘intermediate’ skin pigmentation and light hair, the researchers said.
This is a far cry from original facial reconstructions which showed her with dark hair, eyes and skin tone.
A healed wound on her leg suggests a serious but non–fatal injury at some point in her life, they added.
Dietary analysis looking at the carbon and nitrogen values in her bones also revealed that her diet likely included a lot of seafood.
Dr Selina Brace, senior author of the new paper, said: ‘Our scientific knowledge and understanding is constantly evolving, and as scientists, it’s our job to keep pushing for answers.
‘Thanks to the advancement of technology that has occurred in the past decade since Beachy Head Woman first came to light, we are excited to report these new comprehensive data and share more about this individual and her life.’
Beachy Head is Britain’s highest chalk sea cliff, a dramatic landmark near Eastbourne in the South Downs National Park
Experts have previously said that without the context of a burial site or grave goods, it’s hard to determine the individual’s social status.
The skeleton is in good condition, with no signs of hard labour, and isotope analysis suggests she was raised in or around Eastbourne from a young age.
Based on what is known of the Roman era and a similar discovery in York, it’s possible she was the wife of a local official or mistress of a nearby Roman villa, specialists have speculated.
Or, she may have been a merchant, making use of the trade routes that led to the local area.
