An analysis of 348 genetic samples collected from 34 countries showed that in prehistoric and ancient Europe, 63% of people had dark skin color, 29% had “intermediate” skin color, and only 8% had light skin color.
Tom BjorklundAn illustration of a dark-skinned Scandinavian girl based on DNA found on her 5,700-year-old chewing gum.
A study of samples from the period between the Copper Age (around 5,000 years ago) and the Iron Age (around 3,000 years ago) found that only about half of the people had light or pale skin tones. In some regions, darker skin tones remained visible until recently.
But how and why exactly did skin tones change in prehistoric and ancient Europe?
Why Ancient Eurasians Eventually Evolved to Have Lighter Skin
Modern humans migrated from Africa to Europe and Asia between 60,000 and 70,000 years ago, and their characteristics gradually changed over time.
One of the main reasons why humans genetically changed to have lighter skin was the amount of ultraviolet (UV) light they received in these new regions. With less exposure to UV light in more northern areas, humans adapted to have lighter skin that could more efficiently absorb UV light to synthesize vitamin D.
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