DNA reveals dark skinned caveman had blue eyes

A 7,000-year-old Spaniard whose DNA has been deciphered by scientists had dark, possibly black, hair and skin but with blue eyes.

Experts were astonished to find a combination of African and European genes in the ancient hunter gatherer, who they christened La Brana 1.

His remains were discovered in a cold subterranean cave 5,000 feet below sea level in the Cantabrian mountains of north-west Spain, along with another man, where conditions are ideal for preserving DNA.

Results from an analysis of the genetic material, taken from a tooth, appear in the latest online edition of the journal Nature.

The scientists focused first on La Brana 1's DNA because it was in better condition. They hope in due course to piece together the genome of the other man, La Brana 2.

Both individuals have been dated to around 7,000 years old. They lived in the Mesolithic period, which ended 5,000 years ago with the development of agriculture and livestock farming in the Middle East.

Despite La Brana 1's dark colour, the research revealed genetic similarities with Scandinavians from Sweden and Finland.

The mixture of African and European traits implies that long after modern humans left Africa their racial transformation was still in progress, with changes in eye colour coming before alterations in skin tone.