Face of Britain: How our genes reveal the history of Britain by Robin McKie (Simon & Schuster, 2007)A beginner’s guide to historical investigation
Nancy Duin
Once the study of history and delving into the archives was left to academics. But no longer: today, hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are investigating their family trees, their towns and villages, their houses. Some are looking at an even wider canvas and are trying to find clues to their origins through ancient place- and family names and through bones, blood and DNA.
This website presents a wide range of sites that describe the various forms of historical investigation plus, in many cases, give you practical tips and hints on how to carry out research yourself.
- DNA and blood groups
- Forensic archaeology/anthropology
- Place-names and surnames
- Archives
- Local and family history
- General sources
The Channel 4 series The Face of Britain uses the latest technology to bring the past to light and show us what our ancestors looked like. The following clips demonstrate this:
- Episodes 1 and 2: the invasions of Britain; the faces of Devon and Cornwall; facial reconstruction of an ancient Celt; rebuilding an Anglo-Saxon skull; and the face of East Anglia: Anglo-Saxon.
- Episode 3: the skeleton of a Norse boatman; the faces of Orkney: Viking; DNA map of Britain; and new British face: later migrations.
Volunteers needed for research
Would you like to help the medical team searching for genetic patterns across Britain? They are particularly looking for people whose parents and grandparents were all born in the same rural locality.
For more information, check out the People of the British Isles website.
