Elite graves linked to lighter skin

Analysis of ancient cemetery records finds that individuals with a genetic score for lighter untanned skin are more likely to be buried with rich grave goods, while an education‑related genetic score shows a weaker and less robust association. The author tests models that control for both scores and discusses alternative explanations: ancestry differences, inherited elite status, or lifestyle (indoor elites losing tanning). — If robust, the pattern affects how historians and the public think about the origins of color hierarchies, the interpretation of ancient DNA, and contemporary debates that invoke deep‑past racial explanations.