When you look at this facial reconstruction, what race would you say this woman is?
Perhaps like lots of other people who read the initial news reports, when I read the article that said she was "African," I assumed Ivory Bangle Lady was a black African.
However, that may not be the case. Upon reading further reports, I learned that the lady's DNA pointed to "mixed ancestry" and northern Africa, so she may have been part Berber, Arab, Egyptian, or some other culture living along the southern Mediterranean coast. While there were no doubt black Africans living in such areas too, as far as I know the people who lived (and still live) in the countries bordering that side of the Mediterranean are mostly olive-skinned and are not Negro like the peoples of sub-Sarahan Africa.
So why did the reconstructionist create an image with dark curly/kinked hair, a slightly flattened nose and wide lips? "Mixed ancestry" could mean European/Northern Africa rather than Northern Africa/Black African. Were some pertinent details left out of the articles I read on February 27?
This article, from March 1st, contains further information on the origins of Ivory Bangle Lady:
Roman era York may have been more diverse than today
March 1, 2010 by Lin Edwards
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new archaeological study in Britain has shown that its multi-cultural nature is not a new phenomenon, but that even in Roman times there was a strong African influence, with North Africans moving in high social circles.
The study, led by Dr Hella Eckardt of the Department of Archaeology at Reading University, used pioneering forensic techniques to study fourth century artifacts and bones in the Yorkshire Museum’s collections in York. The researchers used isotope analysis and forensic ancestry assessment to analyze the items, which included the “Ivory Bangle Lady” skeleton and goods buried with her.
The Ivory Bangle Lady remains were found in August 1901 in a stone coffin unearthed in Bootham, where a group of graves were found. The grave has been dated to the latter half of the fourth century. Items buried with the Lady included expensive luxury items such African elephant ivory bracelets, beads, pendants and other jewelry, a blue glass jug, a glass mirror, and Yorkshire jet. A rectangular bone mount, possibly for a wooden coffin, was also found in the grave. An inscription on the bone, “Hail sister, may you live in God,” suggests the woman held religious beliefs and may have been Christian. She is believed to have been one of the richest inhabitants of the city.
The researchers analyzed and measured the Lady’s skull and facial features, and looked at the chemical signatures of her diet. They also examined the burial site to build a picture of her social status and ancestry.
Dr Eckardt said the results showed the Ivory Bangle Lady was of mixed ancestry, and the isotope analysis suggested she may have migrated to Britain from a warmer climate. This evidence, along with the goods found in the ground, and the fact the burial rite was unusual, all point to the her having been of North African descent, arriving in Britain possibly via the Mediterranean, and she was of high social status.
The analysis of the Lady and other skeletons and artifacts contradicts the popular assumption about Britain in Roman times that African immigrants were usually males, of low status, and most were slaves, and shows that high status women from Africa were also present in the society. Dr Eckardt said the research on the Lady and other skeletons suggest the society was as diverse, and possibly more diverse than it is today.
The Roman Empire extended into the Near and Middle East, North Africa, and included Europe, and there were great movements of people throughout the Empire, both voluntary and involuntary. York (or Eboracum, as it was then known) was an important city of the period and eventually was named capital of “Britannia Inferior.” Emperor Septimius Severus, who was born in North Africa, was one of two Roman Emperors who visited Eboracum, and died there.
The paper is published in this month’s edition of the journal Antiquity. The skeleton and artifacts will be displayed in August as part of the Yorkshire Museum’s exhibition: Roman York — Meet the People of the Empire.
*****************************************
This article says [T]he ancestry assessment suggests a mixture of 'black' and 'white' ancestral traits and the isotope signature indicates that she may have come from somewhere slightly warmer than the UK.... "To date, we have had to rely on evidence of such foreigners in Roman Britain from inscriptions. However, by analysing the facial features of the Ivory Bangle Lady and measuring her skull compared to reference populations, analysing the chemical signature of the food and drink she consumed, as well as evaluating the evidence from the burial site, we are now able to establish a clear profile of her ancestry and social status," adds Dr Eckardt.
The Bangle Lady was a high status young woman who was buried in Sycamore Terrace, York. Dated to the second half of the fourth century, her grave contains jet and elephant ivory bracelets, earrings, pendants, beads, a blue glass jug and a glass mirror. The most famous object from this burial is a rectangular openwork mount of bone, possibly from an unrecorded wooden casket, which reads "Hail, sister, may you live in God", signalling possible Christian beliefs.
Hmmmm, not exactly informative. I could try and track down a more detailed report but, as I have discovered from past experience, these are usually written in such technical terms and jargon that I have no idea what it is the report is saying.
A separate question entirely - what the hell was she doing in York? My guess is that she was married to an officer in the Legion, or the wife of a wealthy merchant who had traveled in his younger days. We'll never know - all we can do is dream up fascinating stories about how the lady of "mixed" descent arrived in York
No comments:
Post a Comment