DEBUNKING: Anglo-Saxon diversity: Updown Girl

About this episode

The episode discusses the claims of racial diversity in Anglo-Saxon England based on a genetics paper and critiques the interpretation of the evidence presented.

Anglo-Saxon England was racially diverse according to a new genetics paper 'West African ancestry in seventh-century England: two individuals from Kent and Dorset published in Antiquity journal. But is Duncan Sayer misrepresenting the evidence? How significant are two skeletons with 1/4 black ancestry and have they failed to notice middle eastern ancestry in Updown Girl?

People in this episode

Host: Survive the Jive

Topics covered

• Anglo-Saxon England
• racial diversity
• genetics
• historical evidence
• archaeology

Keywords

• Anglo-Saxon
• diversity
• genetics
• Duncan Sayer
• archaeology
• West African ancestry
• historical analysis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Antiquity journal

Books & works: West African ancestry in seventh-century England: two individuals from Kent and Dorset

Places: Kent, Dorset

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