Recent anthropology research suggests that light-colored skin and increased height, traits associated with modern Europeans, are relatively recent developments. An international team of researchers, led by Dr. Iain Mathieson from Harvard University, presented a study at the 84th annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, revealing that light skin in Europe only became prevalent around 8,000 years ago.
The study analyzed 83 human samples from Holocene Europe using data from the 1000 Genomes Project. Findings indicate that for most of their history, humans in Europe had darker skin. The genes associated with lighter skin only began to appear in the past 8,000 years. Early European hunter-gatherers, such as those in Spain, Luxembourg, and Hungary around 8,500 years ago, lacked the SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 genes, which are responsible for depigmentation and pale skin in Europeans today.
As the first farmers from the Near East arrived in Europe, they carried genes for light skin. Interbreeding with indigenous hunter-gatherers led to a spread of these genes, causing central and southern Europeans to develop lighter skin over time. In northern Europe, ancient remains from southern Sweden dating back 7,700 years showed gene variants indicating light skin and blonde hair, along with the HERC2/OCA2 gene for blue eyes. This suggests that ancient hunter-gatherers in northern Europe were already pale-skinned and blue-eyed, traits advantageous in regions with less sunlight.
The rapid spread of these genetic traits is believed to be a result of natural selection, possibly influenced by the need for Vitamin D absorption. In less sunny climates, lighter skin aids in synthesizing Vitamin D. Additionally, the ability to digest milk only emerged around 4,300 years ago, further supporting the theory that evolving dietary practices played a role in these genetic changes.
Earlier studies had already hinted at this shift in European genetics. DNA extracted from a 7,000-year-old wisdom tooth found in Spain in 2006 showed that the individual had dark skin and hair but also had blue eyes. This discovery challenged the prevailing image of early European hunter-gatherers as light-skinned. Another study in 2008 suggested that the earliest mutations leading to blue eyes occurred around 10,000 years ago in individuals living near the Black Sea.
These findings provide a deeper understanding of how natural selection and environmental factors influenced the evolution of physical traits in humans. The relatively swift spread of light skin across Europe is of particular interest to researchers, as it highlights the dynamic nature of human evolution and adaptation.
The study titled “Eight thousand years of natural selection in Europe” was published in the online journal BioRxiv, offering new insights into humanity’s genetic past and challenging preconceived notions about ancient Europeans’ appearance.
