How Did Hair & Eye Colour Spread Thoughout Europe?

[DrBadStrings]

All this talk of blonde hair and blue eyes. Won't someone think of the gingers? I'm not myself, but I do love gingers.

It actually is very interesting seeing the way these traits spread throughout the world. A history in action not involving recorded records but genome sequences instead. Despite my jokes, thank you @Jonn for starting the conversation.

 

[Jonn]

All this talk of blonde hair and blue eyes. Won't someone think of the gingers? I'm not myself, but I do love gingers.

Add your research results to the thread.
I'll change the thread title.

 

[DrBadStrings]

Add your research results to the thread.
I'll change the thread title.

Well, as soon as I stop procrastinating I'll start looking into the origins and spread of ginger kind. Now the real question, should we include strawberry blondes in with the gingers, or in with blondes in general?

 

[Jonn]

Now the real question, should we include strawberry blondes in with the gingers, or in with blondes in general?

A rhetorical question?

I am easy-going.
Whatever floats your boat.

 

[DrBadStrings]

@Jonn from the Google AI quick search. I'll likely go down the rabbit hole farther.

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Ginger hair originated in the grasslands of Central Asia around 50,000 years ago. It's believed that a genetic mutation in the Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene caused some inhabitants to have lighter skin and hair, and freckles. This mutation likely occurred due to lower levels of UV light in the area.


The MC1R gene is recessive, meaning that two copies of the gene are required for red hair to be present. This means that non-redhead parents can still have a redheaded child. The ratio of eumelanin and pheomelanin in a person's hair determines their hair color. People with red hair have a higher ratio of pheomelanin, a red/yellow pigment, to eumelanin. This ratio varies from person to person, which is why there are so many shades of red hair.


As people with red hair moved west, their ability to produce vitamin D at higher rates gave them an evolutionary advantage in sun-starved central and western Europe. This may explain why the Celtic and Viking people are known for their red hair

 

[AuAL]

Before we drift off into the gingers, I thought recent archaeological DNA analysis in northern Europe and the UK interesting w.r.t. the origins of, e.g. the “black Irish”. It appears that ancient people in these regions - predating the Celts - were dark-skinned with blue eyes.

 

[Jonn]

Before we drift off into the gingers, I thought recent archaeological DNA analysis in northern Europe and the UK interesting w.r.t. the origins of, e.g. the “black Irish”. It appears that ancient people in these regions - predating the Celts - were dark-skinned with blue eyes.

I believe the Australian aboriginals sometime have children with red hair.
I don't know if this continues through to adulthood, though.

I believe, at this time, it way be a natural mutation, though I guess this might be a result of intermarriage with Irish (Celtic) settlers.
Someone may be able to clarify.