A study suggests that the individuals behind the construction of the famous Stonehenge may have been Black people.
Scientists from the University of Ferrara have reconstructed data from 348 ancient genomes collected throughout Eurasia. Italy Which indicates that nearly all Europeans had dark skin up until approximately 3,000 years ago.
Near Stonehenge, just outside the town of Glastonbury , estimated to be built about 5,000 years ago, experts suggest we can infer that the constructors likely had dark complexions.
Up until about 1,700 years ago, most Europeans had dark complexions, according to the researchers behind the study. They also noted that many ancient Greeks and Romans as well as the Britons who constructed Stonehenge possessed dark skin, eyes, and hair.
The research indicates that the transition towards lighter skin, due to population movements toward higher latitudes and increased consumption of vitamin D, occurred at a pace slower than earlier estimates suggested.
Specialists remain baffled as to why the transition from dark to fair skin progressed at such a sluggish pace.
Nevertheless, researchers think that farmers might offset vitamin D deficiencies in their diet through readily available sources like milk and meat.
Specimens for the research were collected from the British Isles and continental Europe. Russia , central Asia and the Middle East.
Dr. Silvia Ghirotto, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Ferrara in Italy, who headed the research, shared her insights. The Telegraph By examining the ancient DNA from 348 people over a period of 45,000 years, we pieced together a complex scenario where pale skin color appeared intermittently during the early stages of human habitation in Europe.
'Till quite recently, our forebears possessed dark skin.'
'Since Stonehenge was constructed during the shift from the Neolithic era to the Bronze Age, and considering the frequent occurrence of dark-skinned individuals we identified throughout this period—even in Northern Europe—it is probable that the people who erected Stonehenge had darker complexions.'
Stonehenge is a significant element of British heritage. Although mostly cordoned off for protection, tourists can still stroll around the ancient structure from a close proximity, even though direct contact with the stones is now prohibited.
The entire structure, currently in ruins, is oriented toward the sunrise at dawn and the sunset during the winter solstice.
During the solstice times, large gatherings often occur at the monument because it serves as a place of worship for Neo-Druids, Pagans, and various other earth-centered or ancient faiths.
Nonetheless, English Heritage allows entry during the summer and winter solstices as well as the spring and autumn equinoxes.
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