Beachy Head Lady
Discoveredc. 1950s
Beachy Head, East Sussex
Present locationEastbourne Museums
IdentificationMES33810
Period2nd or 3rd century AD (Roman)

The Beachy Head Lady or Beachy Head Woman is an ancient skeleton discovered in Beachy Head, East Sussex, England. The Beachy Head Lady lived during the Roman period, around 125 to 245 AD.[1] DNA analysis of the woman found that although she was born in the Eastbourne area of Britain, her ancestry was Southern European, most likely from Cyprus.[2]

Remains and investigation

As part of the Eastbourne Ancestors project, over 300 sets of human remains excavated from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries were re-examined. Heritage Officer Jo Seaman and his team found two boxes labelled "Beachy Head, something to do with 1956 or 1959". Inside they found a very well-preserved human skeleton.[3] The Beachy Head Lady is the most complete skeleton in the collection.[1]

Radiocarbon dating suggested a date range of 125 to 245 AD for the remains. Isotope analysis indicated that the Beachy Head Lady grew up in south-east England, and may have been born in the region.[1] Initially, the skull shape led to an assessment that the woman had originated from Sub-Saharan Africa.[4] This led some to claim erroneously that she had been the first known person of sub-Saharan origin in Britain.[5] However, further DNA analysis established that the Beachy Head Lady was likely of Southern European origin from Cyprus,[2] which resulted in the parish ordering the removal of a plaque erected by the BBC "to commemorate the first black Briton."[6]

Beachy Head Lady was aged around 22 to 25 when she died, and would have stood between 4 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 1 inch (1.45 m and 1.55 m) tall.[1]

The Beachy Head Lady was exhibited to the public for the first time at the Eastbourne Redoubt.[7] In 2021, the remains were moved to the newly refurbished "Beachy Head Story" visitor centre, closer to where they were found.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Beachy Head : Inhumation (MES33810)". The Keep. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  2. 1 2 Seaman, Jo (23 August 2022) [5 April 2018]. "The mystery of Beachy Head Lady". Museum Crush. Retrieved 26 November 2022. DNA analysis has since concluded that that although she grew up in Eastbourne, the place of her ancestry is in Southern Europe – most likely Cyprus.
  3. ↑ "Beachy Head Lady was young sub-Saharan Roman with good teeth, say archaeologists". culture24.org.uk. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "Centuries old Beachy Head Lady's face revealed". BBC News. 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
  5. ↑ Olusoga, David (2016). Black and British: a Forgotten History. Pan Macmillan. p. 33. ISBN 9781447299745.
  6. ↑ Jack Blackburn (26 October 2023). "Plaque for first black Briton is shelved (she was from Cyprus)". The Times. Retrieved 26 October 2023. Parish councillors in the village of East Dean in East Sussex voted to remove the plaque
  7. ↑ Zoe Mintz (4 February 2014). "Face Of 'Beachy Head Lady' Revealed, Roman Era Woman Is A 'Fantastic Discovery' [PHOTO]". International Business Times. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  8. ↑ Panons, Jacob (16 April 2021). "Eastbourne museum to open next month after gift shop welcomes customers". Eastbourne Herald.
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