The initial assessment that suggested she was of recent sub-Saharan origin was originally based on analysis of her skull in 2013, scientists said.
“The discovery of the ‘first black Briton known to us’ gained traction across several media outlets, non-fiction books, educational resources and academic publications,” they wrote in the paper.
However, this interpretation began to shift, scientists added.
Other scientists later suggested the Beachy Head Lady may have grown up around Eastbourne, but been born in Cyprus.
“Whilst these preliminary results were not published in a scientific journal, they were subsequently reported in the media,” the paper’s authors said.
