Beachy Head Woman may be ‘local girl from Eastbourne’, say scientists
Exclusive: DNA advances show Roman-era skeleton, once hailed as first black Briton, came from southern England
TL;DR
- Advanced DNA sequencing has revealed the Beachy Head Woman, a Roman-era skeleton, originated from southern England.
- Previous theories based on skull analysis suggested sub-Saharan African origin, and a plaque commemorated her as the 'first black Briton'.
- A subsequent, inconclusive DNA analysis suggested a Cypriot origin.
- The latest research used capture arrays to obtain a high-quality genetic sequence, confirming her local British ancestry.
- The skeleton died between AD129 and 311, was aged 18-25, and likely ate seafood.
- Dietary analysis also indicated she lived in the local Eastbourne area.