By Nichola
On the chalk headland in East Sussex called Beachy Head, the ancient remains of a sub-Saharan woman was uncovered between 1956 and 1959. This discovery remained hidden in a box until the 21st century, when the Eastbourne Ancestors project set out to re-examine excavations of the area made in the previous century. The project resulted in an archaeological exhibition in 2014 after a gruelling process moving archaeological digs, scientific reconstructions and the unveiling of stories behind each skeleton. It was intended to be a local and small-scale project but actually became an awakening to the reality that African heritage held a position in the making of this rural English county.
Beachy Head Cliffs
Heritage officer Jo Seamen, who was heading the project, expressed the reality of the research surrounding the skeleton that was named Beachy Head Lady. He described her as ‘an intriguing one because we knew nothing about her’, the cluelessness of her origins sparked major curiosity. Their primary observations were that she was a young female and five feet tall. With scientific innovation at hand, the necessary means to understand this skeleton further, was a facial reconstruction. With this they were able to uncover the individual behind the bones.
A physical representation was beneficial however speculation and mystery still surrounded the Beachy Head lady. With scientific analysis they could rule out her life as a possible slave from the 17th century and instead a Roman citizen from 200 to 250AD. Her well preserved skeleton from teeth to bones most likely indicated she held high status. Perhaps the most shocking was her origin, which did not come back as African but as originating from South East England. This would reinforce that she was born in East Sussex and most surprisingly came from multiple generations of African Romans in her area.
Beachy Head Lady Reconstruction in Eastbourne Museum
The exciting discovery and quest of the Beachy Head Lady is an integral part to African and European history. However, the gaps in historical knowledge and its consequences should be addressed. With the academic field, consistently trying to downplay and completely remove the African presence from British history. Extractions such as these show that this will no longer be possible. To teach British history in class and paint third century Britain as a white monolithic country is unacceptable. Beachy Head Lady’s head reconstruction sits in the Eastbourne museum where those interested in English heritage will be able to see her. Likewise, British curriculums should display the diverse history of the country which would help combat identity crises and xenophobia as a result of white-washed history. The chance for a British child (of any background) to acknowledge that there once existed a bustling diverse community, in the south east of England, almost two millenniums ago would be inspiring.
Educational platforms such as BBC history, posted a cartoon about a high-ranking black Roman soldier which received huge backlash. What was supposed to be an accessible and child friendly video for the younger generation to learn from. Actually, became one of huge offense to the British population who disagreed with its diverse portrayal of Roman Britain. This was worsened by historian and TV presenter, Mary Beards’ comment that the video was ‘pretty accurate’. As a result, Subsequently, she was insulted and threatened for promoting a different perspective on the past. It must be highlighted that this vigour to protect the Roman Empire as solely a part of white heritage was not necessarily shared by those at the time. The Roman poet Catullus wrote:
‘I’m not overly anxious, Caesar, to please you, Or to know whether you’re a white or a black man.’
Catullus indifference to the skin colour of Julius Ceasar, a military and political genius, is definitely food for thought, when considering modern critique on diversifying Roman populations and even leaders.
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