Scientists have uncovered evidence for a large-scale, prehistoric migration into Britain that may be linked to the spread of Celtic languages.
The mass-movement of people originated in continental Europe and occurred between 1,400 BC and 870 BC.
The discovery helps to explain the genetic make-up of many present-day people in Britain.
Around half the ancestry of later populations in England and Wales comes from these migrants.
It’s unclear what caused the influx of people during the Middle to Late Bronze Age, but the migrants introduced new ritual practices to Britain.
“Mass migration” is a rather poor way of describing movements of population that spanned centuries. The article also gives the false impression that new populations replaced the old ones, which is untrue – they mixed with the former populations.
It’s also not exactly a new discovery. It’s been known for quite some time from archaeological (and even historical, for the later migrations) evidence that thischange happened, probably from eastern Gaul, with more recent migrations from what is today Normandy and Britanny.
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Scientists have uncovered evidence for a large-scale, prehistoric migration into Britain that may be linked to the spread of Celtic languages.
The mass-movement of people originated in continental Europe and occurred between 1,400 BC and 870 BC.
The discovery helps to explain the genetic make-up of many present-day people in Britain.
Around half the ancestry of later populations in England and Wales comes from these migrants.
It’s unclear what caused the influx of people during the Middle to Late Bronze Age, but the migrants introduced new ritual practices to Britain.
“Mass migration” is a rather poor way of describing movements of population that spanned centuries. The article also gives the false impression that new populations replaced the old ones, which is untrue – they mixed with the former populations.
It’s also not exactly a new discovery. It’s been known for quite some time from archaeological (and even historical, for the later migrations) evidence that thischange happened, probably from eastern Gaul, with more recent migrations from what is today Normandy and Britanny.