What did the Early Jews of the Western diaspora looked like?

[Blanco]

I think of the ancestors of modern Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews who migrated from the Fertile Descent to the Shores of South Europe, it's Islands and North Africa.

Autosomally the Near Eastern (Assuming the original Judean ancestry) of Ashkenazi Jews most closely resembled Samaritans and Christian Palestinians.

When I see Samaritans and some Jews I see resemblence

Yemenite Jewish:

Ashkenazi Jewish:

 

[ToBeOrNotToBe]

By this point it is already known that Jews would be extremely red-haired as they were described and stereotyped as such. Appropriately, it is unlikely (at least with Ashkenazim) that they would have been this dark.

If you go back to the "original" Hebrews, then that's a different debate - I think more pale than others, most think about as dark as you've posted, some (for whatever reason) think even darker.

 

[Angela]

The blind leading the more blind.

 

[Blanco]

By this point it is already known that Jews would be extremely red-haired as they were described and stereotyped as such. Appropriately, it is unlikely (at least with Ashkenazim) that they would have been this dark.

If you go back to the "original" Hebrews, then that's a different debate - I think more pale than others, most think about as dark as you've posted, some (for whatever reason) think even darker.

Some Levantines such as Syrians, Samaritans, Lebanese can have red haired individuals in low percentages. This has to do with some genetic mutation but I disagree with your statement that the people I posted look too dark. The people I posted are within the range of mediterranean skin complexion. some would have been pale with red hair while others would be brown skinned like your average Lebanese, Palestin folk. The major difference between ancient Judeans and modern Levantines would be the lack of African and South Asian shift which increased by the slave trade and migrations. The samaritan folk I posted wouldn't stand out in a crowd of Ashkenazi Jews.