Researchers at London’s Natural History Museum have used DNA to finally clarify the origins of the “Beachy Head Woman.” Her genetic profile aligns closely with rural Roman-era Britons and modern Britons, showing no evidence of recent African ancestry.

The DNA suggests she likely had light hair, blue eyes, and a skin tone ranging from pale to dark. This broad range highlights how earlier scientific theories—based largely on educated guesses due to limited tools—can replace fact.

Previous conclusions based on craniometric analysis, which attempts to determine ancestry from skull shape, are now recognized as inaccurate and rooted in racist pseudoscience.

The woman lived between 129 and 311 CE, was probably 18–25 years old, just under five feet tall, had a seafood-rich diet, and survived at least one serious leg injury. Her case demonstrates how easily the past can be misinterpreted when modern biases are projected onto ancient evidence.