Wexford : Leinster (Ireland)The county is rich in evidence of early human habitation : Ireland was inhabited sometime shortly after the ending of the last Ice Age, approximately 10,000 - 8000 BC. Conservative estimates place the arrival of the first humans in County Wexford as occurring between 5000 BC - 3000 BC, referred to as the Mesolithic period in Ireland, though they may have arrived slightly earlier. Its proximity to Britain and Europe means that County Wexford was probably one of the earliest areas of Ireland to be inhabited by humans.
Portal tombs exist at Ballybrittas (on Bree Hill) and date from the Neolithic period or earlier. Remains from the Bronze Age period are far more widespread. Early Irish tribes formed the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnsealaig, an area that was slightly larger than the current County Wexford.
- Sample :
- Brief anthropological analysis :
- Type 1 : Light complexion (pinky undertones, light blue eyes, blonde hair, ...), leptomorphic, long and convex nose rather parallel to the face, high cheekbones, close-set eyes, rather angular and pointy chin, large jaw
~ Dinaricized Atlantid aka "Keltic Nordic"
This type constitutes a basic "Celtic" insular phenotype : it is quite prevailing in this part of Ireland though more or less leptomorphic. Darker variants - dubbed Atlantid - do exist as well : some individuals combining dark hair and blue eyes constitute a very typical Irish phenotype.
- Type 2 : Intermediate complexion (light skin, light eyes, ...), brachymorphic, chubby features, rather low-rooted and little broad nose that can get convex, wide forehead, large and strong jaws, prominent chin, wide-set eyes
~ Alpinoid/Brünn
This is a very classical pan-British phenotype, it has attracted many authors who used this type to define Britishness. Surprisingly enough, as far as my sampling techniques are concerned, such types are rarer than in other parts of Ireland.
- Final morphotypes :
