A groundbreaking study has challenged long-standing assumptions about the skin color of early Europeans, revealing that the majority of them had dark skin as recently as 3,000 years ago. The research, led by Guido Barbujani from the University of Ferrara in Italy, examined the genomes of 348 individuals who lived between 1,700 and 45,000 years ago. The results show that 63% of these individuals had dark skin, while only 8% exhibited pale skin.
The study, published on the preprint platform bioRxiv, suggests that the prevalence of light skin in Europe only became widespread around 3,000 years ago. Even during the Copper and Iron Ages, which spanned from 5,000 to 3,000 years ago, half of the individuals analyzed still had dark or medium skin tones.
“The transition to lighter skin was neither rapid nor uniform,” the study explains. “It was slower than expected, with many individuals maintaining dark or intermediate skin tones well into the Copper and Iron Ages.”
To investigate the pigmentation traits of ancient Europeans, the researchers extracted DNA from bones and teeth. They also noted a peak in light eye pigmentation during the Mesolithic period, and a significant increase in skin lightening coinciding with the spread of Neolithic farmers across Western Eurasia. However, the study highlights that local gene flow and admixture also played a crucial role in the evolution of skin color.
Previously, it was believed that modern humans adapted to Europe’s low sunlight by developing lighter skin over time, starting around 45,000 years ago. This adaptation was thought to have helped individuals synthesize more vitamin D due to reduced exposure to sunlight, especially as agriculture spread and dietary sources of vitamin D became less available.
The study’s findings echo earlier research, including the discovery of Cheddar Man, a prehistoric man from 10,000 years ago. Researchers at London’s Natural History Museum and University College London found that Cheddar Man, the first modern Briton, had brown hair, blue eyes, and dark skin. His ancestors are believed to have migrated to Britain from the Middle East, following their departure from Africa.
Despite these intriguing findings, experts caution that the study’s conclusions should be interpreted carefully. There is no way to verify whether the genetic predictions about ancient Europeans are entirely accurate, and more research is needed to fully understand the complexities of skin pigmentation in prehistoric populations.
Related topics
