New DNA Evidence Suggests The Builders Of Stonehenge Were Dark-Skinned—Not What You'd Expect!

A groundbreaking study has revealed that the builders of Stonehenge were likely to have had dark skin, challenging traditional depictions of ancient Britons. Researchers, led by Guido Barbujani from the University of Ferrara in Italy, reconstructed genetic data from 348 ancient genomes, spanning individuals who lived between 45,000 and 1,700 years ago.

Their findings suggest that nearly all Europeans had dark skin until around 3,000 years ago, meaning that those who constructed Stonehenge approximately 5,000 years ago were very likely dark-skinned.

DNA Evidence from Across Europe, Russia, and the Middle East

The research, which suggests that most ancient Greeks, Romans, and Britons had dark skin, eyes, and hair, was based on DNA samples collected from the British Isles, mainland Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Barbujani's team extracted genetic material from bones and teeth, then applied forensic techniques to predict pigmentation traits with greater accuracy.

Their findings revealed that 63% of ancient Europeans had dark skin, while just 8% had fair skin. The remaining individuals displayed intermediate skin tones. Since ancient DNA is often fragmented and degraded, scientists used probabilistic models to refine their estimates.

The Gradual Shift to Lighter Skin

While humans have inhabited Europe for around 45,000 years, significant lightening of skin tone only began around 3,000 years ago. Even during the Copper and Iron Ages (approximately 5,000 to 3,000 years ago), half of the individuals studied still had dark or medium skin tones.

This shift in pigmentation is thought to have been driven by migration to higher latitudes and an increased need for vitamin D production. However, researchers remain uncertain as to why this process took so long. One theory suggests that early farming communities compensated for vitamin D deficiencies by consuming nutrient-rich foods such as milk and meat, delaying the natural selection for lighter skin.

Neanderthals and the Evolution of Skin Pigmentation

Interestingly, the study also indicates that some Neanderthals may have developed light skin before modern humans arrived in Europe, suggesting that skin pigmentation evolved more unpredictably than previously assumed. Since skin cells help produce a precursor to vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, this supports the theory that lighter skin evolved to enhance ultraviolet absorption in regions with lower sunlight levels.

The study also provided insight into famous ancient individuals. Ötzi, the glacier mummy, who died in the Alps 5,300 years ago, had dark skin—genetically darker than modern Southern Europeans, though lighter than present-day Sub-Saharan Africans.

New DNA Technology Unlocks the Secrets of Ancient Populations

With advancements in DNA sequencing, scientists can now reconstruct genomes from individuals who lived thousands of years ago, offering unprecedented insights into human history. Many of the forensic techniques originally developed for criminal investigations are now being applied to ancient remains, helping researchers better understand the complex evolution of human pigmentation.

This research not only reshapes our understanding of Europe's past populations but also challenges long-held assumptions about what ancient Britons, Romans, and Greeks may have looked like. As DNA technology continues to advance, more discoveries about our ancestors' appearance, migration patterns, and lifestyles are sure to emerge.