Introduction
In mid-August 2025, researchers announced a remarkable revelation: two individuals buried in 7th-century England—one in Kent and another in Dorset—had recent Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Their genetic profiles open a new chapter in the story of early medieval Britain, revealing a society more globally connected than long believed.
Historical & Exploratory Context
The graves were found in Anglo-Saxon cemeteries on England’s southern coast. One lay in Updown, near Eastry in Kent, a region known in the 7th century for its strong ties to Frankish Gaul and its role in continental trade. The other was discovered in Worth Matravers, Dorset, a settlement more distant from the hubs of commerce but still within reach of maritime contact.
During the 600s AD, England was emerging from the shadow of Roman withdrawal. Networks of travel and exchange still stretched across Europe, and Kent in particular maintained cultural and material links to the continent. Dorset’s communities, while less cosmopolitan, were not isolated. These locations, separated by geography and economic influence, provide a valuable comparison for interpreting the individuals’ origins.
Modern Discovery & Research
Ancient DNA analysis revealed that both individuals shared a striking genetic heritage. While their maternal lines traced to Northern Europe, roughly one-quarter to nearly one-half of their ancestry was consistent with populations from West Africa. Statistical modelling suggests that each likely had a grandparent of West African origin who lived in the mid-sixth to early-seventh centuries.
The young woman from Kent, sometimes referred to as the “Updown Girl,” was buried with a range of goods: a pottery vessel of Frankish style, a knife, a bone comb, and a spoon. These items were typical of local burial customs and indicate her integration into the community. The Dorset man, interred in a double grave with an unrelated older man and marked by an anchor-shaped stone, was likewise afforded a burial consistent with cultural norms of the period.
This discovery builds upon other evidence of African ancestry in Britain before and after the Roman period. While the Roman occupation brought individuals from North Africa to Britain, the genetic profiles of these 7th-century individuals point further south and west, into Sub-Saharan regions, showing a continuity of long-distance human movement beyond the Roman era.
Implications & Relevance
The findings challenge the perception of early medieval England as an insular, culturally uniform land. Instead, they reveal that migration and personal histories linked Britain to distant corners of the known world. Such connections could have been forged through trade, travel, marriage alliances, or the movement of individuals within extended networks of power and influence.
The dignified burials of these individuals suggest that their heritage did not diminish their social standing. In both communities, they were treated with respect in death, their ancestry woven into the local fabric of life. This integration demonstrates that even in a period often portrayed as dominated by local identities, cross-cultural connections were not exceptional—they were part of the lived reality.
Conclusion
From Kent’s vibrant continental links to Dorset’s quieter coastal settlements, the lives of these two people offer a glimpse into an interconnected medieval world. Their West African heritage, preserved in their DNA, is a testament to the far-reaching web of human interaction—reminding us that migration, cultural exchange, and shared humanity have always shaped the story of Britain.
Citations
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Live Science, “1,300-year-old skeletons found in England had grandparents from sub-Saharan Africa, DNA studies reveal,” August 2025.
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The Times, “Bodies buried in 7th-century England had West African ancestry,” August 2025.
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Independent, “Archaeologists perplexed to find West African ancestry in early medieval England,” August 2025.
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ZME Science, “Archaeologists Found 7th Century Britons With Surprising West African Roots,” August 2025.
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IFLScience, “Over 1300-Year-Old Skeletons Buried in England Had West African Roots,” August 2025.
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Phys.org, “Ancient DNA reveals West African ancestry in early medieval England,” August 2025.
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Wikipedia, “Updown Girl,” updated 2025.