Ancient Europeans Had Darker Skin: Ancient DNA Study Reveals Evolution of Skin Color in Europe
A groundbreaking study analyzing ancient DNA from individuals who lived in Europe between 1,700 and 45,000 years ago has revealed that 63% of them had dark skin, while only 8% had pale skin, with the remaining individuals exhibiting intermediate skin tones. This challenges the long-held belief that modern humans who migrated to Europe around 45,000 years ago quickly developed pale skin to adapt to the region’s lower ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels.
Until recently, scientists assumed that early Europeans rapidly evolved lighter skin to ensure sufficient vitamin D production in weaker sunlight. Since darker skin filters more UV rays, it was believed that lighter skin provided a survival advantage in northern latitudes. However, genetic evidence now suggests that pale skin only became widespread around 3,000 years ago—much later than previously thought.
The Role of Ancient DNA in Uncovering Human Evolution
The ability to sequence ancient DNA has transformed our understanding of early human traits. By applying forensic techniques used in modern crime investigations, researchers can now predict characteristics such as skin, eye, and hair color from ancient genomes.
A notable example is the 2018 analysis of Cheddar Man, a 10,000-year-old individual from Britain, whose DNA suggested he had very dark skin and blue-green eyes. Although these findings have faced criticism due to the complexity of genetic pigmentation, they offer a compelling glimpse into the diversity of early Europeans.
Comprehensive Study on Ancient European Populations
In the latest research, Guido Barbujani and colleagues from the University of Ferrara, Italy, analyzed 348 ancient European genomes, making it the most extensive study on this subject to date. Their findings indicate that natural selection, migration, sexual selection, and environmental factors played key roles in the gradual shift toward lighter skin tones in Europe.
According to Nina Jablonski of Pennsylvania State University, dietary changes may have influenced this evolution. Early Paleolithic hunter-gatherers and Bronze Age populations likely obtained enough vitamin D from wild animal meat, reducing the pressure to develop lighter skin. However, as human settlements grew, dietary sources of vitamin D became less accessible, potentially driving the genetic shift towards paler skin.
Did Neanderthals Have Pale Skin?
Before modern humans arrived in Europe, Neanderthals had already been living on the continent for hundreds of thousands of years. Some researchers suggest that Neanderthals may have had pale skin, but their pigmentation likely varied over time and across different regions—similar to modern humans today.
A New Perspective on Human Evolution
This research underscores the complexity of human adaptation and challenges oversimplified assumptions about skin color evolution. The study provides strong evidence that the majority of early Europeans had dark skin for tens of thousands of years before lighter skin became dominant, reshaping our understanding of human diversity and adaptation in prehistoric times.
