2021_Cheronet et al.: Sagittal Suture Morphological Variation in Human Archaeological Populations. The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology 2021, 304: 2811–2822., 2021
Cranial sutures join the many bones of the skull. They are therefore points of weakness and conse... more Cranial sutures join the many bones of the skull. They are therefore points of weakness and consequently subjected to the many mechanical stresses affecting the cranium. However, the way in which this impacts their morphological complexity remains unclear. We examine the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of human sagittal sutures by quantifying the morphology from 107 individuals from archaeological populations spanning the Mesolithic to Middle ages, using standardized two-dimensional photographs. Results show that the most important factor determining sutural complexity appears to be the position along the cranial vault from the junction with the coronal suture at its anterior-most point to the junction with the lambdoid suture at its posteriormost point. Conversely, factors such as age and lifeways show few trends in complexity, the most significant of which is a lower complexity in the sutures
Highlights d Analysis of genome-wide data for nine sites from the Bronze Age Southern Levant d Co... more Highlights d Analysis of genome-wide data for nine sites from the Bronze Age Southern Levant d Contemporaneous samples from multiple sites are genetically similar d Migration from the Zagros and/or Caucasus to the Levant between 2500-1000 BCE d People related to these individuals contributed to all presentday Levantine populations
Estimation of genetically related individuals is playing an increasingly important role in the an... more Estimation of genetically related individuals is playing an increasingly important role in the ancient DNA field. In recent years, the numbers of sequenced individuals from single sites have been increasing, reflecting a growing interest in understanding the familial and social organisation of ancient populations. Although a few different methods have been specifically developed for ancient DNA, namely to tackle issues such as low-coverage homozygous data, they require a 0.1–1× minimum average genomic coverage per analysed pair of individuals. Here we present an updated version of a method that enables estimates of 1st and 2nd-degrees of relatedness with as little as 0.026× average coverage, or around 18,000 SNPs from 1.3 million aligned reads per sample with average length of 62 bp—four times less data than 0.1× coverage at similar read lengths. By using simulated data to estimate false positive error rates, we further show that a threshold even as low as 0.012×, or around 4000 SNP...
The genetic history of prehistoric and protohistoric Korean populations is not well understood du... more The genetic history of prehistoric and protohistoric Korean populations is not well understood due to the lack of ancient Korean genomes. Here, we report the first paleogenomic data from Korea; eight shotgun-sequenced genomes (0.7X~6.1X coverage) from two archeological sites in Gimhae: Yuha-ri shell mound and Daesung-dong tumuli, the most important funerary complex of the Gaya confederacy. All eight individuals are from the Korean Three Kingdoms period (4th-7th century CE), during which there is archaeological evidence of extensive trade connections with both northern (modern-day China) and eastern (modern-day Japan) kingdoms. All genomes are best modeled as an admixture between a northern-Chinese Iron Age genetic source and a Japanese-Jomon-related ancestry. The proportion of Jomon-related ancestry suggests the presence of two genetic groups within the population. The observed substructure indicates diversity among the Gaya population that is not related to either social status or ...
Human culture, biology, and health were shaped dramatically by the onset of agriculture ~12,000 y... more Human culture, biology, and health were shaped dramatically by the onset of agriculture ~12,000 years before present (BP). Subsistence shifts from hunting and gathering to agriculture are hypothesized to have resulted in increased individual fitness and population growth as evidenced by archaeological and population genomic data alongside a simultaneous decline in physiological health as inferred from paleopathological analyses and stature reconstructions of skeletal remains. A key component of the health decline inference is that relatively shorter statures observed for early farmers may (at least partly) reflect higher childhood disease burdens and poorer nutrition. However, while such stresses can indeed result in growth stunting, height is also highly heritable, and substantial inter-individual variation in the height genetic component within a population is typical. Moreover, extensive migration and gene flow were characteristics of multiple agricultural transitions worldwide. ...
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03053-2 Daniel M. Fernandes, Kendra A. Sirak, Harald Ringbauer... more https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03053-2 Daniel M. Fernandes, Kendra A. Sirak, Harald Ringbauer, Jakob Sedig, Nadin Rohland, Olivia Cheronet, Matthew Mah, Swapan Mallick, Iñigo Olalde, Brendan J. Culleton, Nicole Adamski, Rebecca Bernardos, Guillermo Bravo, Nasreen Broomandkhoshbacht, Kimberly Callan, Francesca Candilio, Lea Demetz, Kellie Sara Duffett Carlson, Laurie Eccles, Suzanne Freilich, Richard J. George, Ann Marie Lawson, Kirsten Mandl, Fabio Marzaioli, Weston C. McCool, Jonas Oppenheimer, Kadir T. Özdogan, Constanze Schattke, Ryan Schmidt, Kristin Stewardson, Filippo Terrasi, Fatma Zalzala, Carlos Arredondo Antúnez, Ercilio Vento Canosa, Roger Colten, Andrea Cucina, Francesco Genchi, Claudia Kraan, Francesco La Pastina, Michaela Lucci, Marcio Veloz Maggiolo, Beatriz Marcheco-Teruel, Clenis Tavarez Maria, Christian Martínez, Ingeborg París, Michael Pateman, Tanya M. Simms, Carlos Garcia Sivoli, Miguel Vilar, Douglas J. Kennett, William F. Keegan, Alfredo Coppa, Mark Lipson, Ron Pinhasi & David Reich. A genetic history of the pre-contact Caribbean. Nature (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03053-2
SummaryArchaeological sediments have been shown to preserve ancient DNA, but so far have not yiel... more SummaryArchaeological sediments have been shown to preserve ancient DNA, but so far have not yielded genome-scale information of the magnitude of skeletal remains. We retrieved and analysed human and mammalian low-coverage nuclear and high-coverage mitochondrial genomes from Upper Palaeolithic sediments from Satsurblia cave, western Georgia, dated to 25,000 years ago. First, a human female genome with substantial basal Eurasian ancestry, which was an ancestry component of the majority of post-Ice Age people in the Near East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. Second, a wolf genome that is basal to extant Eurasian wolves and dogs and represents a previously unknown, likely extinct, Caucasian lineage that diverged from the ancestors of modern wolves and dogs before these diversified. Third, a bison genome that is basal to present-day populations, suggesting that population structure has been substantially reshaped since the Last Glacial Maximum. Our results provide new insights into t...
In this research, sampling optimisation and modelling based thereon follow from the assumption th... more In this research, sampling optimisation and modelling based thereon follow from the assumption that each human skeleton can be treated as a set of heterochronous carbon reservoirs capable of supplying at least an elementary sequence consisting of two 14C dates corresponding to the moment of birth (otic capsule) and that of demise (ribs), as well as an anthropologically defined lag between them. Two case studies demonstrate that the approach can raise the precision of 14C dates related to the death of the individuals. The benefits and main issues of this sampling strategy as well as the involved bioarchaeological conflict potential are taken under discussion.
ABSTRACTAncient DNA sampling methods—although optimized for efficient DNA extraction—are destruct... more ABSTRACTAncient DNA sampling methods—although optimized for efficient DNA extraction—are destructive, relying on drilling or cutting and powdering (parts of) bones and teeth. As the field of ancient DNA has grown, so have concerns about the impact of destructive sampling of the skeletal remains from which ancient DNA is obtained. Due to a particularly high concentration of endogenous DNA, the cementum of tooth roots is often targeted for ancient DNA sampling, but standard destructive sampling methods often result in the loss of at least one entire root. Here, we present a minimally destructive method for extracting ancient DNA from dental cementum present on the surface of tooth roots. This method does not require destructive drilling or grinding, and, following extraction, the tooth remains safe to handle and suitable for most morphological studies, as well as other biochemical studies, such as radiocarbon dating. We extracted and sequenced ancient DNA from 30 teeth (and 9 correspo...
https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(20)30487-6.pdf?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsev... more https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(20)30487-6.pdf?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867420304876%3Fshowall%3Dtrue We report genome-wide DNA data for 73 individuals from five archaeological sites across the Bronze and Iron Ages Southern Levant. These individuals, who share the “Canaanite” material culture, can be modeled as descending from two sources: (1) earlier local Neolithic populations and (2) populations related to the Chalcolithic Zagros or the Bronze Age Caucasus. The non-local contribution increased over time, as evinced by three outliers who can be modeled as descendants of recent migrants. We show evidence that different “Canaanite” groups genetically resemble each other more than other populations. We find that Levant-related modern populations typically have substantial ancestry coming from populations related to the Chalcolithic Zagros and the Bronze Age Southern Levant. These groups also harbor ancestry from sources we cann...
Fernandes, DM., Mittnik, A., Olalde, I., Lazaridis, I., Cheronet, O., Rohland, N., Mallick, S., B... more Fernandes, DM., Mittnik, A., Olalde, I., Lazaridis, I., Cheronet, O., Rohland, N., Mallick, S., Bernardos, R., Broomandkhoshbacht, N., Carlsson, J., Culleton, BJ., Ferry, M., Gamarra, B., Lari, M., Mah, M., Michel, M., Modi, A., Novak, M., Oppenheimer, J., Sirak, KA., Stewardson, K., Mandl, K., Schattke, C., Özdogan, KT., Lucci, M., Gasperetti, G., Candilio, F., Salis, G., Vai, S., Camarós, E., Calò, C., Catalano, G., Cueto, M., Forgia, V., Lozano, M., Marini, E., Micheletti, M., Miccichè, RM., Palombo, MR., Ramis, D., Schimmenti, V., Sureda, P., Teira, L., Teschler-Nicola, M., Kennett, DJ., Lalueza-Fox, C., Patterson, N., Sineo, L., Coppa, A., Caramelli, D., Pinhasi, R., Reich, D. (2020). The Spread of Steppe and Iranian Related Ancestry in the Islands of the Western Mediterranean. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 4 (334-345): 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41559-020-1102-0 Supplementary Information doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1102-0 Available online / disponibile online: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-020-1102-0https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339462961_The_spread_of_steppe_and_Iranian-related_ancestry_in_the_islands_of_the_western_Mediterranean
Science 06 Sep 2019: Vol. 365, Issue 6457, eaat7487 Below: Abstract/List of Authors Abstract: &qu... more Science 06 Sep 2019: Vol. 365, Issue 6457, eaat7487 Below: Abstract/List of Authors Abstract: "By sequencing 523 ancient humans, we show that the primary source of ancestry in modern South Asians is a prehistoric genetic gradient between people related to early hunter-gatherers of Iran and Southeast Asia. After the Indus Valley Civilization’s decline, its people mixed with individuals in the southeast to form one of the two main ancestral populations of South Asia, whose direct descendants live in southern India. Simultaneously, they mixed with descendants of Steppe pastoralists who, starting around 4000 years ago, spread via Central Asia to form the other main ancestral population. The Steppe ancestry in South Asia has the same profile as that in Bronze Age Eastern Europe, tracking a movement of people that affected both regions and that likely spread the distinctive features shared between Indo-Iranian and Balto-Slavic languages." Authors: Vagheesh M. Narasimhan1,*,†, Ni...
Archaeogenetic studies have described the formation of Eurasian ‘steppe ancestry’ as a mixture of... more Archaeogenetic studies have described the formation of Eurasian ‘steppe ancestry’ as a mixture of Eastern and Caucasus hunter-gatherers. However, it remains unclear when and where this ancestry arose and whether it was related to a horizon of cultural innovations in the 4th millennium BCE that subsequently facilitated the advance of pastoral societies likely linked to the dispersal of Indo-European languages. To address this, we generated genome-wide SNP data from 45 prehistoric individuals along a 3000-year temporal transect in the North Caucasus. We observe a genetic separation between the groups of the Caucasus and those of the adjacent steppe. The Caucasus groups are genetically similar to contemporaneous populations south of it, suggesting that – unlike today – the Caucasus acted as a bridge rather than an insurmountable barrier to human movement. The steppe groups from Yamnaya and subsequent pastoralist cultures show evidence for previously undetected farmer-related ancestry f...
The earliest ancient DNA data of modern humans from Europe dates to ~40 thousand years ago, but t... more The earliest ancient DNA data of modern humans from Europe dates to ~40 thousand years ago, but that from the Caucasus and the Near East to only ~14 thousand years ago, from populations who lived long after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ~26.5-19 thousand years ago. To address this imbalance and to better understand the relationship of Europeans and Near Easterners, we report genome-wide data from two ~26 thousand year old individuals from Dzudzuana Cave in Georgia in the Caucasus from around the beginning of the LGM. Surprisingly, the Dzudzuana population was more closely related to early agriculturalists from western Anatolia ~8 thousand years ago than to the hunter-gatherers of the Caucasus from the same region of western Georgia of ~13-10 thousand years ago. Most of the Dzudzuana population's ancestry was deeply related to the post-glacial western European hunter-gatherers of the 'Villabruna cluster', but it also had ancestry from a lineage that had separated from th...
2021_Cheronet et al.: Sagittal Suture Morphological Variation in Human Archaeological Populations. The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology 2021, 304: 2811–2822., 2021
Cranial sutures join the many bones of the skull. They are therefore points of weakness and conse... more Cranial sutures join the many bones of the skull. They are therefore points of weakness and consequently subjected to the many mechanical stresses affecting the cranium. However, the way in which this impacts their morphological complexity remains unclear. We examine the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of human sagittal sutures by quantifying the morphology from 107 individuals from archaeological populations spanning the Mesolithic to Middle ages, using standardized two-dimensional photographs. Results show that the most important factor determining sutural complexity appears to be the position along the cranial vault from the junction with the coronal suture at its anterior-most point to the junction with the lambdoid suture at its posteriormost point. Conversely, factors such as age and lifeways show few trends in complexity, the most significant of which is a lower complexity in the sutures
Highlights d Analysis of genome-wide data for nine sites from the Bronze Age Southern Levant d Co... more Highlights d Analysis of genome-wide data for nine sites from the Bronze Age Southern Levant d Contemporaneous samples from multiple sites are genetically similar d Migration from the Zagros and/or Caucasus to the Levant between 2500-1000 BCE d People related to these individuals contributed to all presentday Levantine populations
Estimation of genetically related individuals is playing an increasingly important role in the an... more Estimation of genetically related individuals is playing an increasingly important role in the ancient DNA field. In recent years, the numbers of sequenced individuals from single sites have been increasing, reflecting a growing interest in understanding the familial and social organisation of ancient populations. Although a few different methods have been specifically developed for ancient DNA, namely to tackle issues such as low-coverage homozygous data, they require a 0.1–1× minimum average genomic coverage per analysed pair of individuals. Here we present an updated version of a method that enables estimates of 1st and 2nd-degrees of relatedness with as little as 0.026× average coverage, or around 18,000 SNPs from 1.3 million aligned reads per sample with average length of 62 bp—four times less data than 0.1× coverage at similar read lengths. By using simulated data to estimate false positive error rates, we further show that a threshold even as low as 0.012×, or around 4000 SNP...
The genetic history of prehistoric and protohistoric Korean populations is not well understood du... more The genetic history of prehistoric and protohistoric Korean populations is not well understood due to the lack of ancient Korean genomes. Here, we report the first paleogenomic data from Korea; eight shotgun-sequenced genomes (0.7X~6.1X coverage) from two archeological sites in Gimhae: Yuha-ri shell mound and Daesung-dong tumuli, the most important funerary complex of the Gaya confederacy. All eight individuals are from the Korean Three Kingdoms period (4th-7th century CE), during which there is archaeological evidence of extensive trade connections with both northern (modern-day China) and eastern (modern-day Japan) kingdoms. All genomes are best modeled as an admixture between a northern-Chinese Iron Age genetic source and a Japanese-Jomon-related ancestry. The proportion of Jomon-related ancestry suggests the presence of two genetic groups within the population. The observed substructure indicates diversity among the Gaya population that is not related to either social status or ...
Human culture, biology, and health were shaped dramatically by the onset of agriculture ~12,000 y... more Human culture, biology, and health were shaped dramatically by the onset of agriculture ~12,000 years before present (BP). Subsistence shifts from hunting and gathering to agriculture are hypothesized to have resulted in increased individual fitness and population growth as evidenced by archaeological and population genomic data alongside a simultaneous decline in physiological health as inferred from paleopathological analyses and stature reconstructions of skeletal remains. A key component of the health decline inference is that relatively shorter statures observed for early farmers may (at least partly) reflect higher childhood disease burdens and poorer nutrition. However, while such stresses can indeed result in growth stunting, height is also highly heritable, and substantial inter-individual variation in the height genetic component within a population is typical. Moreover, extensive migration and gene flow were characteristics of multiple agricultural transitions worldwide. ...
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03053-2 Daniel M. Fernandes, Kendra A. Sirak, Harald Ringbauer... more https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03053-2 Daniel M. Fernandes, Kendra A. Sirak, Harald Ringbauer, Jakob Sedig, Nadin Rohland, Olivia Cheronet, Matthew Mah, Swapan Mallick, Iñigo Olalde, Brendan J. Culleton, Nicole Adamski, Rebecca Bernardos, Guillermo Bravo, Nasreen Broomandkhoshbacht, Kimberly Callan, Francesca Candilio, Lea Demetz, Kellie Sara Duffett Carlson, Laurie Eccles, Suzanne Freilich, Richard J. George, Ann Marie Lawson, Kirsten Mandl, Fabio Marzaioli, Weston C. McCool, Jonas Oppenheimer, Kadir T. Özdogan, Constanze Schattke, Ryan Schmidt, Kristin Stewardson, Filippo Terrasi, Fatma Zalzala, Carlos Arredondo Antúnez, Ercilio Vento Canosa, Roger Colten, Andrea Cucina, Francesco Genchi, Claudia Kraan, Francesco La Pastina, Michaela Lucci, Marcio Veloz Maggiolo, Beatriz Marcheco-Teruel, Clenis Tavarez Maria, Christian Martínez, Ingeborg París, Michael Pateman, Tanya M. Simms, Carlos Garcia Sivoli, Miguel Vilar, Douglas J. Kennett, William F. Keegan, Alfredo Coppa, Mark Lipson, Ron Pinhasi & David Reich. A genetic history of the pre-contact Caribbean. Nature (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03053-2
SummaryArchaeological sediments have been shown to preserve ancient DNA, but so far have not yiel... more SummaryArchaeological sediments have been shown to preserve ancient DNA, but so far have not yielded genome-scale information of the magnitude of skeletal remains. We retrieved and analysed human and mammalian low-coverage nuclear and high-coverage mitochondrial genomes from Upper Palaeolithic sediments from Satsurblia cave, western Georgia, dated to 25,000 years ago. First, a human female genome with substantial basal Eurasian ancestry, which was an ancestry component of the majority of post-Ice Age people in the Near East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. Second, a wolf genome that is basal to extant Eurasian wolves and dogs and represents a previously unknown, likely extinct, Caucasian lineage that diverged from the ancestors of modern wolves and dogs before these diversified. Third, a bison genome that is basal to present-day populations, suggesting that population structure has been substantially reshaped since the Last Glacial Maximum. Our results provide new insights into t...
In this research, sampling optimisation and modelling based thereon follow from the assumption th... more In this research, sampling optimisation and modelling based thereon follow from the assumption that each human skeleton can be treated as a set of heterochronous carbon reservoirs capable of supplying at least an elementary sequence consisting of two 14C dates corresponding to the moment of birth (otic capsule) and that of demise (ribs), as well as an anthropologically defined lag between them. Two case studies demonstrate that the approach can raise the precision of 14C dates related to the death of the individuals. The benefits and main issues of this sampling strategy as well as the involved bioarchaeological conflict potential are taken under discussion.
ABSTRACTAncient DNA sampling methods—although optimized for efficient DNA extraction—are destruct... more ABSTRACTAncient DNA sampling methods—although optimized for efficient DNA extraction—are destructive, relying on drilling or cutting and powdering (parts of) bones and teeth. As the field of ancient DNA has grown, so have concerns about the impact of destructive sampling of the skeletal remains from which ancient DNA is obtained. Due to a particularly high concentration of endogenous DNA, the cementum of tooth roots is often targeted for ancient DNA sampling, but standard destructive sampling methods often result in the loss of at least one entire root. Here, we present a minimally destructive method for extracting ancient DNA from dental cementum present on the surface of tooth roots. This method does not require destructive drilling or grinding, and, following extraction, the tooth remains safe to handle and suitable for most morphological studies, as well as other biochemical studies, such as radiocarbon dating. We extracted and sequenced ancient DNA from 30 teeth (and 9 correspo...
https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(20)30487-6.pdf?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsev... more https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(20)30487-6.pdf?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867420304876%3Fshowall%3Dtrue We report genome-wide DNA data for 73 individuals from five archaeological sites across the Bronze and Iron Ages Southern Levant. These individuals, who share the “Canaanite” material culture, can be modeled as descending from two sources: (1) earlier local Neolithic populations and (2) populations related to the Chalcolithic Zagros or the Bronze Age Caucasus. The non-local contribution increased over time, as evinced by three outliers who can be modeled as descendants of recent migrants. We show evidence that different “Canaanite” groups genetically resemble each other more than other populations. We find that Levant-related modern populations typically have substantial ancestry coming from populations related to the Chalcolithic Zagros and the Bronze Age Southern Levant. These groups also harbor ancestry from sources we cann...
Fernandes, DM., Mittnik, A., Olalde, I., Lazaridis, I., Cheronet, O., Rohland, N., Mallick, S., B... more Fernandes, DM., Mittnik, A., Olalde, I., Lazaridis, I., Cheronet, O., Rohland, N., Mallick, S., Bernardos, R., Broomandkhoshbacht, N., Carlsson, J., Culleton, BJ., Ferry, M., Gamarra, B., Lari, M., Mah, M., Michel, M., Modi, A., Novak, M., Oppenheimer, J., Sirak, KA., Stewardson, K., Mandl, K., Schattke, C., Özdogan, KT., Lucci, M., Gasperetti, G., Candilio, F., Salis, G., Vai, S., Camarós, E., Calò, C., Catalano, G., Cueto, M., Forgia, V., Lozano, M., Marini, E., Micheletti, M., Miccichè, RM., Palombo, MR., Ramis, D., Schimmenti, V., Sureda, P., Teira, L., Teschler-Nicola, M., Kennett, DJ., Lalueza-Fox, C., Patterson, N., Sineo, L., Coppa, A., Caramelli, D., Pinhasi, R., Reich, D. (2020). The Spread of Steppe and Iranian Related Ancestry in the Islands of the Western Mediterranean. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 4 (334-345): 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41559-020-1102-0 Supplementary Information doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1102-0 Available online / disponibile online: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-020-1102-0https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339462961_The_spread_of_steppe_and_Iranian-related_ancestry_in_the_islands_of_the_western_Mediterranean
Science 06 Sep 2019: Vol. 365, Issue 6457, eaat7487 Below: Abstract/List of Authors Abstract: &qu... more Science 06 Sep 2019: Vol. 365, Issue 6457, eaat7487 Below: Abstract/List of Authors Abstract: "By sequencing 523 ancient humans, we show that the primary source of ancestry in modern South Asians is a prehistoric genetic gradient between people related to early hunter-gatherers of Iran and Southeast Asia. After the Indus Valley Civilization’s decline, its people mixed with individuals in the southeast to form one of the two main ancestral populations of South Asia, whose direct descendants live in southern India. Simultaneously, they mixed with descendants of Steppe pastoralists who, starting around 4000 years ago, spread via Central Asia to form the other main ancestral population. The Steppe ancestry in South Asia has the same profile as that in Bronze Age Eastern Europe, tracking a movement of people that affected both regions and that likely spread the distinctive features shared between Indo-Iranian and Balto-Slavic languages." Authors: Vagheesh M. Narasimhan1,*,†, Ni...
Archaeogenetic studies have described the formation of Eurasian ‘steppe ancestry’ as a mixture of... more Archaeogenetic studies have described the formation of Eurasian ‘steppe ancestry’ as a mixture of Eastern and Caucasus hunter-gatherers. However, it remains unclear when and where this ancestry arose and whether it was related to a horizon of cultural innovations in the 4th millennium BCE that subsequently facilitated the advance of pastoral societies likely linked to the dispersal of Indo-European languages. To address this, we generated genome-wide SNP data from 45 prehistoric individuals along a 3000-year temporal transect in the North Caucasus. We observe a genetic separation between the groups of the Caucasus and those of the adjacent steppe. The Caucasus groups are genetically similar to contemporaneous populations south of it, suggesting that – unlike today – the Caucasus acted as a bridge rather than an insurmountable barrier to human movement. The steppe groups from Yamnaya and subsequent pastoralist cultures show evidence for previously undetected farmer-related ancestry f...
The earliest ancient DNA data of modern humans from Europe dates to ~40 thousand years ago, but t... more The earliest ancient DNA data of modern humans from Europe dates to ~40 thousand years ago, but that from the Caucasus and the Near East to only ~14 thousand years ago, from populations who lived long after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ~26.5-19 thousand years ago. To address this imbalance and to better understand the relationship of Europeans and Near Easterners, we report genome-wide data from two ~26 thousand year old individuals from Dzudzuana Cave in Georgia in the Caucasus from around the beginning of the LGM. Surprisingly, the Dzudzuana population was more closely related to early agriculturalists from western Anatolia ~8 thousand years ago than to the hunter-gatherers of the Caucasus from the same region of western Georgia of ~13-10 thousand years ago. Most of the Dzudzuana population's ancestry was deeply related to the post-glacial western European hunter-gatherers of the 'Villabruna cluster', but it also had ancestry from a lineage that had separated from th...
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