During the Mesolithic, Western Europe was inhabited by a population known as Western Hunter-Gatherers/WHG. This genetic cluster first appears toward the end of the Upper Paleolithic, replacing earlier groups such as the Gravettians, Solutreans, and Magdalenians – populations with whom the WHG shared both close genetic affinity and likely descent.
One of the sites inhabited by WHG groups during the Mesolithic was Star Carr in North Yorkshire, England, dating to around 9300-8500 BC. It is one of Britain’s most important prehistoric sites, as exceptional preservation allowed organic materials – wood, bone, and antler – to survive. Excavations uncovered Britain’s oldest known structure, numerous antler tools, and the famous red deer stag-skull headpieces, which may have been used for ritual or hunting. Other finds include barbed bone points, wooden artifacts, and a decorated shale pendant – one of the earliest known examples of Mesolithic art in the UK.
WHGs were Protoeuropoid, with robust cranial structures and stocky builds, averaging about 165 cm in height for males. Many lacked the skin-lightening genes typical of modern Eurasian populations, yet they also lacked the skin-darkening variants common in equatorial groups. WHG almost universally carried alleles associated with blue eyes, reflecting their small and bottlenecked founder population. Modern Europeans can trace up to around 30% of their total autosomal ancestry to WHG groups.


I believe the out-of-Africa hypothesis has been thoroughly debunked by modern gene analyses.
Recreations like this one involve considerable talent and artistry.
They help us imagine the distant past, and are especially valuable today since there has been so much DEI-style lying about Europe’s past (and not just Europe’s). ABN