There exists a common misconception about the Megalithic culture of Northern Europe, which states that it was introduced through external influences, by a "Megalithic Race" of Mediterranean origins. However, recent studies, as well as older works that examined the racial ancestry of the Megalith builders, clearly demonstrate that this civilization was Nordish in character.
The Megaliths were thought to be southern in origin, largely because of the ex oriente lux theory (from the east comes the light), which proclaimed that the indigenous peoples of Northern Europe were too primitive to forge their own creations, and that they required the aid of other peoples. In addition to this, British authors in particular, were keen to see the Megaliths as "Mediterranean" because it was believed that only this race was present in Britain, during the period that the Megaliths were thought to have been constructed. Finally, the Marxist archaeological theories of the British scholar Childe, led some to think that the Megaliths were "Iberian" in origin, and that most culture had "radiated" into Europe from the east and south. Childe believed that the Megaliths of Northern Europe were nothing more than "degenerate" copies of Mediterranean and Near Eastern monumental architecture.[1]
In the 1950s, the discoveries of the American scientist W. F. Libby, which were published in his book Radiocarbon Dating (Chicago, 1955), helped historians to determine the antiquity of various cultures more precisely. Firstly, Libby was able to demonstrate that the Megaliths of Northern Europe were far older than the Pyramids, and other stone buildings in the Mediterranean. This disproved the argument that "Southerners" were the first to build in stone, and therefore, that they had "diffused" the knowledge of monumental architecture to the peoples of the north. Secondly, Libby showed that the oldest Megaliths were those in Northern Europe. He estimated that the Megalithic monuments of France were begun around 4500 B.C. The researches of the British archaeologist Renfrew, have shown that the Megaliths were produced by indigenous North European cultures, and that there was a long history of construction on the sites where Megaliths were subsequently built. Many of Childe's Marxist theories were demolished by radiocarbon dating, and feeling disillusioned as a result, he committed suicide in 1957. At this point, it would be germane to remember that most of Coon's historical reconstructions were based on Childe's work, and that as Childe's theories collapse, so do certain aspects of Coon's work, most notably his belief that the Megalith builders were "Atlanto-Mediterranean" in race.[2]
A now largely forgotten and neglected theory, is that of a northern origin for the Megaliths. This idea was largely formulated by French scholars, at the end of the 19th Century, and was later developed by German and Scandinavian authors, in the 20th Century. These writers observed that in the south, there was clearly a link between blonds and the Megaliths. The blond Riffian Berbers of Morocco, and the blond Kabyles of Algeria, were associated with the Megaliths of North Africa. The blond Libyans of antiquity appeared at about the same time that these monuments were constructed. Similarly, the blond Amorites of ancient Palestine, were linked to the Megaliths which are found there. Equally, the blond Guanches of the Canary Islands, seem to have produced their own stone buildings. However, at the same time, apart from the British Isles, the north did not possess sizeable Mediterranean populations, that could explain the allegedly "southern" origins of the Megaliths.[3]
Furthermore, some archaeologists have noticed that there are distinct links between the various Megalithic sites and their uniform culture. Most of these links can be traced back to the north, particularly the love of amber, which at that time could only be obtained from Northern Europe. Many of the earliest examples of Megalithic construction appear in the north, as well as the complete evolution of the various types of complex building methods. One of the most recent expositions on the cultural unity of the Megalith builders, is the work of the Austrian historian Spanuth, who has also presented the evidence in favor of a northern origin for this same culture.[4]
In addition to this, racial studies have demonstrated that the Megalith builders were racially Nordish. In Germany and Scandinavia, numerous physical anthropologists examined the remains that have been discovered in the Megalithic tombs. Scholars such as Schliz, Rydbeck, Scheidt, Nielsen, Retzius, Fürst and Saller, have shown that the Megalith builders were largely mixed, Crô-Magnon/Nordic types, with a small brachycephalic element, mostly Borreby in type, with some round-headed Alpines. (Note: The "Crô-Magnon" type referred to, is the equivalent of Coon/McCulloch's "Brünn" subrace, and Günther's Phalian race.[5]) Of course, the racial elements differed from nation to nation, including the indigenous folk of the various regions, but the Brünn/Nordic element appears to remain a constant factor throughout.[6]
In Britain, the Long Barrow People were largely responsible for the Megaliths. The British anthropologist Fleure, noted that their skulls had broad-brows, with heavy brow-ridges, low and broad orbits, sloping foreheads, long, narrow faces, narrow noses, prominent chins, and dolichocephalic crania, with large cranial capacities. He considered them to be immigrants from North-West Europe.[7]
When Coon accepted the existence of a "Megalithic Race" he was forced to depict a type with "Mediterranean" facial features which are more Nordic than anything else. In several pictorial instances of his "Megalithic" type, Coon refers to the blue eyes of the individuals depicted, as an "aberrant feature" and he often notes other "Nordic" characteristics, particularly tall stature.[8] It may be objected to, that the Nordic and Mediterranean subraces are very similar, from a skeletal point of view, and differ mostly in their pigmentation. However, it would appear that the Megalith builders were largely fair-haired. J. B. Davis and J. Thurnam, in their Crania Britannica (London, 1865), noted that locks of hair which were discovered in Long Barrow tombs, preserved within sealed boxes, were often blond or red in color. Various German and Scandinavian authors observed that the remains of hair they discovered in Megalithic tombs, were of a blond or reddish-blond hue. Similarly, the existence of ancient blonds and redheads in the Canary Islands, the Levant and North Africa, is well attested to. Thus, we find a combination of blond and red hair, with Brünn/Nordic skeletal features.[9]
It should also not be forgotten that by the time the later stages of Stonehenge were being constructed, the Nordic Battle-Axe and Borreby Bell Beaker peoples were settling in the area, and had themselves buried in close proximity to the monument. They also played a considerable part in building Stonehenge, and so their influence must not be rejected in favor of "Atlanto-Mediterraneans."[10]
Finally, the works of the German scholars Paudler[11] and Kern[12] should not be neglected. They demonstrated at great length, the northern origins of the Megalithic culture, and its essentially Nordish racial background. It would therefore appear, that given the revised evidence, the Megalith builders were probably Brünn/Nordic in racial type.
Notes
[1] V. G. Childe, Prehistoric Migrations in Europe (Oslo, 1950).
[2] C. Renfrew, "Carbon 14 and the Prehistory of Europe." Scientific American (October, 1971).
[3] A. H. Sayce, The Races of the Old Testament (London, 1925).
[4] J. Spanuth, Atlantis of the North (London, 1979).
[5] http://www.racialcompact.com/nordishrace.html
http://www.fikas.no/~sprocket/snpa/rg-brunn.htm
[6] H. F. K. Günther, Herkunft und Rassengeschichte der Germanen (Munich, 1935).
[7] H. J. Fleure, The Races of England and Wales (London, 1923).
[8] C. S. Coon, The Races of Europe (New York, 1939).
[9] O. Reche, Rasse und Heimat der Indogermanen (Munich, 1936).
[10] A. Thom, Megalithic Sites in Britain (Oxford, 1967).
[11] F. Paudler, Die hellfarbigen Rassen (Heidelberg, 1924).
[12] F. Kern, Stammbaum und Artbild der Deutschen (Munich, 1927).