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The Independent
4 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
DNA testing of 1,400-year-old skeletons reveals ethnic diversity of early England
Archaeologists have discovered evidence of people of sub-Saharan African descent living in Britain more than 1,300 years ago. It's not only the earliest evidence in Britain of people with recent Black African ancestry – it is also the earliest genetic evidence anywhere in Europe. Because only a tiny percentage (probably less than 1 per cent) of Roman and early medieval British and continental European skeletons have been DNA-tested, it is conceivable that there were dozens of sub-Saharan African descendants living in Anglo-Saxon England. The newly discovered evidence of Black Africans' descendants living in early Anglo-Saxon era Britain comes from DNA tests (carried out as part of a mainly Anglo-German study) on two 7th century children buried in two separate early medieval cemeteries – one in Kent, the other in Dorset. Although the two individuals do not appear to have been related to each other, both had a Black African grandparent and both of those grandparents came from what is now southern Nigeria. Although there is no genetic indication of the sex of either the Kent or the Dorset child's Nigerian grandparents, some more general historical information, from other totally separate research by other scholars, does suggest that both Nigerians are, on balance of probabilities, likely to have been female. The Anglo-German study (published on Wednesday in the UK archaeological journal Antiquity) makes it clear that It's not known for sure how the two Nigerians crossed the Sahara and ended up in late 6th century Europe. However, evidence from other investigations into African trade by other academics suggest that one of the options – and perhaps the most likely – is that they were trafficked as slaves. Although the transatlantic slave trade was more than 1,000 years later and although the Arab slave trade was 100 years in the future, there was nevertheless a significant Saharan slave trade carried out by at least two powerful pre-Arab Sahara region states (the Garamantes of southern Libya, and probably also the Gaetuli of southern Morocco). Surveys of Sahara region rock art (including images of chariots and armed horsemen) have, over recent years, been advancing archaeologists ' appreciation of the ultra-mobile armed nature of warriors and potential slave-raiders associated with such Saharan states. It is therefore likely that slave traders and raiders from those or similar states were the trans-Saharan slave traffickers involved in bringing slaves from West Africa to Europe. Of great potential significance is the fact that the Kent child (the granddaughter of a Nigerian) was buried in an almost certainly royal-connected cemetery, located just 900 metres south of a royal palace of the Anglo-Saxon kings of Kent. She was buried with a knife, a spoon, a bone comb and a fine, wheel-turned decorated pot, similar to ceramics imported from France. Several of these grave goods suggest that she was from a socially relatively elite family. What's more, her aunt, one of her grandmothers and one of her great-grandfathers were also buried in that same royal cemetery. All these factors suggest that the family was part of, or somehow associated with, the early medieval Kingdom of Kent's ruling elite. The Kent child's Nigerian grandparent (whose burial location is as yet unknown) was probably trafficked from Nigeria to Europe in or around the late 6th century. The Kingdom of Kent was strongly influenced by France. Indeed, it may, for a time, have been politically subject to France. The presence of a Nigerian-ancestry individual in Anglo-Saxon Kent is therefore very likely a direct consequence of French influence over Kent. Very significantly, there was a partly politically motivated tradition in 6th century France in which French royals married their slaves. The practice is believed to have been motivated by a fear of acquiring powerful parents-in-law and brothers-in-law who might want to acquire power in or over their wealth and land. Marrying enslaved people had no such downsides – and marrying enslaved people from far away would have lent royal and royal-associated elites a sense of global cosmopolitan identity, without any risks of greedy dynastic interference, influence and competition. The Kent child (and her recent ancestors' possible partly French cultural or other connections) is also significant because it may have formed an unexpected part of the story of Anglo-Saxon England's conversion to Christianity. It is likely that the child – a young girl aged just 12 – was born in the first half of the 7th century (in the period following the 597AD conversion of the Kingdom of Kent to Christianity). That conversion, one of the most important events in English history, took place courtesy of pro-papal French royalty and diplomats. It marked the beginning of the conversion of Anglo-Saxon England to the Christian religion. The child's mother or father (or indeed both) may therefore have been be part of the influx of royals and other members of the French elite who came to England in the run-up to the conversion or immediately following it. The other child with partly Nigerian ancestry, the one buried in Dorset, died aged around 16 in around the 630s. The cause of death is not yet known for either of them. However, plague had arrived in Britain in the mid-6th century and the consequent plague pandemic persisted in Europe and almost certainly in Britain for well over 100 years. It is therefore conceivable that both children had succumbed to that disease. The child burials were in early medieval cemeteries located at Updown (near Eastry) in the extreme east of Kent, and at Worth Matravers, near Swanage, Dorset. The Kent child's DNA was particularly well-preserved and it was revealed that she almost certainly had brown eyes, dark hair and a Mediterranean or North African complexion, which would have contrasted with the very pale skin colour, blue eyes and often blonde hair of most early Anglo-Saxons, especially members of the royal-associated elites, who mainly had ancestry in northern Germany and Denmark. The crucial DNA tests were carried at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany, and at the University of Huddersfield. 'It is significant that it is human DNA – and therefore the movement of people, and not just objects – that is now starting to reveal the nature of long-distance interaction to the continent, Byzantium and sub-Saharan Africa,' said the paper's lead author, Professor Duncan Sayer of the University of Lancashire. 'What is fascinating about these two individuals is that this international connection is found in both the east and west of Britain. Updown is right in the centre of the early Anglo-Saxon cultural zone and Worth Matravers, by contrast, is just outside its periphery in the sub-Roman west.'
IOL News
30-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Digital inclusion as Africa's economic game-changer
By prioritising fintech, rural connectivity, gender inclusion and youth empowerment, it can bridge the global digital divide and redefine Africa's future. Image: File In Uganda's remote Buheesi village, a school once disconnected from the world now accesses digital textbooks and submits reports in real time, thanks to a pilot program merging rural electrification with fibre-optic deployment. This transformation underscores the power of digital inclusion, a force that can reshape economies and empower millions. At its core, financial technology (fintech), the use of digital platforms like mobile apps and blockchain to deliver banking, payments and investment services, drives this change by making financial systems accessible to the underserved. For Africa, with 18% of the global population but less than 1% of the world's data centre capacity, digital inclusion is not just about connectivity; it is about economic sovereignty and global competitiveness. South Africa, with its industrial strength and technological promise, is poised to lead this revolution. By prioritising fintech, rural connectivity, gender inclusion and youth empowerment, it can bridge the global digital divide and redefine Africa's future. The digital economy is the backbone of modern progress, with monumental stakes. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 9 calls for resilient infrastructure and innovation to close digital gaps, a priority echoed globally. India's digital payment revolution exemplifies this: over 1.2 billion people use the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a real-time payment system that enables instant bank transfers via mobile apps, slashing transaction costs and boosting financial inclusion. Africa, however, lags significantly. With mobile subscriptions projected to reach 1.4 billion by 2024, the continent has a foundation—yet only 24% of SubSaharan Africans use the internet, compared to the global average of 66%. High data costs exacerbate this divide. Globally, 1GB of mobile data averages $2.59, but in Africa, prices range from $0.38 in Malawi to $43.75 in Zimbabwe. South Africa's $2.04 (R34.69) is near the global mean but burdens low-income users. This gap is economic, not just technological. As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries, Africa's digital lag could deepen inequalities—unless bold action is taken. South Africa's Path to Bridging Africa's strength lies in its people. With 362 million youths aged 15-24 by 2025, the continent boasts the world's youngest population. Fintech is catalysing change: Kenya's M-Pesa and Nigeria's Flutterwave have brought millions into the financial fold, with mobile money driving inclusion rates above 80% in parts of East Africa. Yet, high data costs and limited rural connectivity stifle progress, especially outside urban centres. South Africa faces load-shedding and affordability challenges that hinder its digital ambitions. To seize this moment, Africa must extend digital infrastructure to rural areas, using shared networks and renewable energy. Only then can its youth and entrepreneurs fully engage in the digital economy. South Africa stands as Africa's economic and technological frontrunner, with Cape Town's vibrant tech hub and Johannesburg's financial ecosystem. Yet, its digital landscape is uneven. High-speed internet covers just 64% of the population, with only 24% using it regularly. Rural connectivity lags, worsened by power outages, while data costs remain a hurdle. The steep price of mobile data burdens low-income households, limiting access to digital tools for education, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion. Initiatives like TooMuchWifi, providing affordable internet to 400,000 low-income South Africans, highlight the need for broader solutions. While updated figures are limited, high data costs clearly disproportionately affect low-income groups, who pay more per MB for smaller bundles. Still, South Africa has tools to lead. Projects like SA Connect aim to expand broadband and private-sector efforts, like MTN's 5G rollout, show promise. To bridge the divide, South Africa must scale public-private partnerships, subsidize access and expand digital literacy. Fintech, emulating East Africa's mobile money success, could boost rural inclusion. Policy must foster an ecosystem where innovation thrives. Digital inclusion demands equity, especially for women and youth. In Africa's informal sector—home to 85% of jobs—women and youth dominate, with 92.1% and 95.8% participation rates, respectively. Yet, financial service access remains limited. In South Africa, the gender gap in financial inclusion is narrow, but rural and youth divides persist: only 56% of rural residents are financially included. Fintech can change this. The Women Farmers Programme, training over 1,300 South African women in digital skills since 2018, shows the power of targeted intervention. Youth-focused efforts, like CodeTribe, which equips young South Africans with coding skills and Malawi's Tech Hubs, empowering 19,000 with digital literacy, unlock economic potential. South Africa's Path to Bridging must amplify such programs, ensuring women and youth lead—not just participate—in the digital revolution. South Africa faces a defining choice: pioneer Africa's digital transformation or risk irrelevance. The path forward demands bold steps. First, invest in rural infrastructure—shared digital networks and renewable energy can deliver connectivity. Second, prioritize digital literacy programs for women, youth and rural communities. Third, foster an innovation ecosystem by supporting fintech startups and government-industry collaboration. Kenya and Nigeria offer models: Kenya's Safaricom and Nigeria's MTN Nigeria provide data plans below $1 per GB, driving inclusion. South Africa can emulate these through policy reforms and competition. The rewards are immense: closing the digital divide could boost GDP, create jobs and elevate South Africa's global10. As AI and digital services redefine competitiveness, delay is not an option. Business leaders and policymakers must act, positioning South Africa as Africa's digital beacon. The future waits for no one—let us shape it today. Nomvula Zeldah Mabuza is a Risk Governance and Compliance Specialist with extensive experience in strategic risk and industrial operations. She holds a Diploma in Business Management (Accounting) from Brunel University, UK, and is an MBA candidate at Henley Business School, South Africa. Image: Supplied
