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10,000 years ago, Mesolithic hunter-gatherers lived across Britain and Ireland, connected to Europe through the lost landscape of Doggerland before it was lost beneath the sea. In this video I tell you about their lives, tools, movement, and beliefs, from seasonal camps to complex burials. Using ancient DNA, including the famous Cheddar Man, we examine the genetics of WHG (Western Hunter-Gatherers) and what it reveals about their appearance and origins. Far from being simple or static, these people shaped their environments. This is the epic story of the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers of Britain and Ireland.
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*Sources*
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