Expert: John J. Shea - 6/13/2003

Question
John - Re the Skara Brae settlement and Newgrange and other Irish and Scottish pre-Celtic sites - has it been possible to say with confidence where these people(s) originated, or what more completely known people(s) or culture(s) they are offshoots of - say from human DNA or clearly related cultural evidences?
From what I read these people arrived in offshore Europe with an already developed culture and building skills.
I find it hard to get comprehensive info on this time and these people, perhaps none exists. Is there a good printed info source for pre-historic civilization in the British Isles during this remote period (say 10000-2600 bce) for the layman?
I presume the supposed Egyptian or Mediterranean connection is generally considered spurious.
Regards
Tony  

Answer
Dear Tony,
The most recent comprehensive scientific reference for this period is Alastair Whittle's book, Neolithic Europe.  These settlements are generally regarded as indigenous developments from previous Mesolithic populations, possibly influenced by Neolithic communities inland.  They look sophisticated because they are made of stone (probably of necessity in a relatively treeless landscape), but similarly-complex structures were probably being made earlier and in more southerly parts of the UK (e.g. Woodhenge).  We archaeologists have to hedge a little on this question, though, because the monuments in question appear right around the time that sea levels stabilized near their present elevation.  There might be just-as-complex earlier mesolithic structures on parts of the Irish and UK coasts now covered by water.  I know of no DNA evidence from human remains from these contexts.  Nor is there any archaeological evidence (pottery, trade goods, inscriptions) to support direct contacts between this part of Northwestern Europe and Mediterranean/Egyptian civilizations at this early time period.
Sincerely,
John J. Shea
Associate Professor
Anthropology Department
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY USA 11794-4364
email: John.Shea@sunysb.edu
My website:http://www.sunysb.edu/anthro/Shea%20webpage/index.html