Origins

Ancient DNA reveals the shocking scale of Anglo-Saxon migration

A massive genetic analysis sheds new light on ancient Britain.

by Jennifer Walter
Monastic settlement, Glastonbury Tor, c11th century, (1990-2010). Somerset. Anglo Saxon monastic set...
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In the Early Middle Ages, groups of people from mainland Europe migrated to the British Isles and dramatically reshaped society in their new homelands.

The history of those people — the Anglo-Saxons — is shrouded in mystery.

Some scholars have hypothesized that the Anglo Saxons were wealthy elites, but more recent analyses show that they were likely of similar economic status to the local populations on the Isles.

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