• Date and time: Sunday 1 June 2025, 12pm to 1pm
  • Location: In-person only
    Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens (Map)
  • Admission: Free admission, booking required

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Event details

Migration is a big topic today and it was equally important in our past. Archaeologist Duncan Sayer reveals how ancient DNA is helping us understand the movement of people in the early Middle Ages (AD 450-750).

Duncan will discuss the northern European ancestry of one of York’s Roman soldiers, as well as how early medieval migrants used family and kinship networks to build a new way of doing things. In particular, two individuals have been identified with West African ancestry, ‘Updown girl’ from the East coast and a second individual from the west of England. These two individuals were located in different cultural contexts and point to a Medieval past that was as much global as it was defined by local practices and identities.

Image credit: Duncan Sayer

About the speaker

Duncan Sayer is a leading expert in historical archaeology and has a particular interest in early medieval cemeteries, migration, death, burial and ethics. Duncan has led field work projects for over 20 years. Most recently these have included Oakington early Anglo-Saxon cemetery and Ribchester Roman fort. Duncan is currently collaborating with DNA labs at Harvard and Max Planck to put together one of the largest ancient DNA projects in Europe.

Partners

University of York

Venue details

  • Wheelchair accessible