CHEDDAR MAN

 Britain's Oldest Complete Skeleton - Cheddar Man

Unearthed in 1903 in Gough's Cave, nestled within Cheddar Gorge, Somerset. Cheddar Man is Britain's oldest near-complete human skeleton. Dating back to the mid-to-late 9th millennium BC, this discovery from over 100 years ago provides a rare glimpse into ancient human history, but it was not until the modern era that we realised just how important this discovery was.

Despite the passage of millennia, Cheddar Man's remains offer insights into his life and potential demise. While some suggest a violent death due to a crater-like lesion above his right orbit, others propose alternative theories. Some speculate that these marks could be the result of a disease or even water dripping onto the skull over many years, adding layers of mystery to his story.

Through meticulous genetic analysis, scientists reconstructed Cheddar Man's appearance. He likely had blue-green eyes, dark brown or black hair, and dark to black skin, typical of Western European hunter-gatherers of his time.

Cheddar Man's ancestry traces back to the Middle East, reflecting ancient migration patterns. His story sheds light on the interconnectedness of humanity and the diverse journeys our ancestors undertook.

Studies of Cheddar Man's DNA, compared with other DNA from bone fragments of the same period, paint a very different picture. This reveals that not everyone in Britain at this time shared the same genetic makeup. While Cheddar Man's DNA aligns with that of hunter-gatherers, other DNA from the same period indicates the presence of early farmers in different regions. This suggests that the transition from hunter-gatherer to farmer was not a straightforward process. Instead, these groups coexisted separately, perhaps living in close proximity, until the gradual adoption of farming practices among hunter-gatherer communities. The duration of this transition remains unknown, but it underscores the complexity of human evolution and adaptation.