England (Commonwealth Union) – A significant archeological discovery was made by researchers at the University of York.
Scientists have found the 1st genetic data from Palaeolithic humans in the UK, and the most ancient human DNA from the British Isles to date. The DNA is from individuals that existed over 13,500 years ago, which demonstrates 2 distinct groups in Britain’s final days of the last Ice Age.
In addition to other new evidence for their diet and culture, their genetic and cultural diversity is presenting a more complicated image of the humans that recolonized Britain in the final days of the last Ice Age.
Dr Sophy Charlton, who lecturers Bioarchaeology at the University of York, stated the period they were focused on, from 20-10,000 years ago, was part of the Palaeolithic, which was the Old Stone Age. She further stated that it is a significant time period for the environment in Britain, as there may have been vital climate warmings, elevations in the amount of forest and changes in the type of animals present for hunting.
“There are very few human remains of this age in Britain; perhaps around a dozen individuals from six sites. We looked at two of these Palaeolithic individuals – one from Gough’s Cave in Somerset and the other from Kendrick’s Cave in North Wales,” she said.
It is the 1st time; the study demonstrates that the recolonization of Britain consisted of at least 2 groups with distinct origins. The 1st group looks like the same people who produced Magdalenian stone tools, a culture recognized for iconic cave art as well as bone artefacts, and were the 1st group to move further into Northwest Europe nearly 16,000 years ago.
The research demonstrates that it is possible to gather useful genetic details from some of the most ancient human skeletal material in Britain.
