Anett Osztás

Tracing the genetic origin of Europe's first farmers reveals insights into their social organization.

Farming was established in Central Europe by the Linearbandkeramik culture (LBK), a well-investigated archaeological horizon, which emerged in the Carpathian Basin, in todays Hungary. However, the genetic background of the LBK genesis is yet unclear. Here we present 9 Y chromosomal and 84 mitochondrial DNA profiles from Mesolithic, Neolithic Starčevo and LBK sites (seventh/sixth millennia BC) from the Carpathian Basin and southeastern Europe. We detect genetic continuity of both maternal and paternal elements during the initial spread of agriculture, and confirm the substantial genetic impact of early southeastern European and Carpathian Basin farming cultures on Central European populations of the sixth–fourth millennia BC. Comprehensive Y chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA population genetic analyses demonstrate a clear affinity of the early farmers to the modern Near East and Caucasus, tracing the expansion from that region through southeastern Europe and the Carpathian Basin into Central Europe. However, our results also reveal contrasting patterns for male and female genetic diversity in the European Neolithic, suggesting a system of patrilineal descent and patrilocal residential rules among the early farmers.

Parallel palaeogenomic transects reveal complex genetic history of early European farmers

Ancient DNA studies have established that Neolithic European populations were descended from Anatolian migrants who received a limited amount of admixture from resident hunter-gatherers. Many open questions remain, however, about the spatial and temporal dynamics of population interactions and admixture during the Neolithic period. Here we investigate the population dynamics of Neolithization across Europe using a high-resolution genome-wide ancient DNA dataset with a total of 180 samples, of which 130 are newly reported here, from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods of Hungary (6000–2900 bc, n = 100), Germany (5500–3000 bc, n = 42) and Spain (5500–2200 bc, n = 38). We find that genetic diversity was shaped predominantly by local processes, with varied sources and proportions of hunter-gatherer ancestry among the three regions and through time. Admixture between groups with different ancestry profiles was pervasive and resulted in observable population transformation across almost all cultural transitions. Our results shed new light on the ways in which gene flow reshaped European populations throughout the Neolithic period and demonstrate the potential of time-series-based sampling and modelling approaches to elucidate multiple dimensions of historical population interactions.

Parallel ancient genomic transects reveal complex population history of early European farmers

Ancient DNA studies have established that European Neolithic populations were descended from Anatolian migrants who received a limited amount of admixture from resident hunter-gatherers. Many open questions remain, however, about the spatial and temporal dynamics of population interactions and admixture during the Neolithic period. Using the highest-resolution genomewide ancient DNA data set assembled to date—a total of 177 samples, 127 newly reported here, from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic of Hungary (6000–2900 BCE, n = 98), Germany (5500–3000 BCE, n = 42), and Spain (5500–2200 BCE, n = 37)—we investigate the population dynamics of Neolithization across Europe. We find that genetic diversity was shaped predominantly by local processes, with varied sources and proportions of hunter-gatherer ancestry among the three regions and through time. Admixture between groups with different ancestry profiles was pervasive and resulted in observable population transformation across almost all cultural transitions. Our results shed new light on the ways that gene flow reshaped European populations throughout the Neolithic period and demonstrate the potential of time-series-based sampling and modeling approaches to elucidate multiple dimensions of historical population interactions.

Tuberculosis in Late Neolithic-Early Copper Age human skeletal remains from Hungary

Alsónyék-Bátaszék in Southern Hungary is one of the largest late Neolithic settlements and cemeteries excavated in Central Europe. In total, 2359 burials from the Late Neolithic - Early Copper Age Lengyel culture were found between 2006 and 2009 [1]. Anthropological investigations previously carried out on individuals from this site revealed an interesting paleopathological case of tuberculosis in the form of Potts disease dated to the early 5(th) millennium BC. In this study, selected specimens from this osteoarcheological series were subjected to paleomicrobiological analysis to establish the presence of MTBC bacteria. As all individuals showing clear osteological signs of TB infection belonged to a single grave group, 38 individuals from this grave group were analysed. The sample included the case of Potts disease as well as individuals both with and without osseous TB manifestations. The detection of TB DNA in the individual with Potts disease provided further evidence for the occurrence of TB in Neolithic populations of Europe. Moreover, our molecular analysis indicated that several other individuals of the same grave group were also infected with TB, opening the possibility for further analyses of this unique Neolithic skeletal series.

Präliminarien zur Sozialarchäologie des lengyelzeitlichen Gräberfeldes von Alsónyék-Bátaszék, Südtransdanubien

Im Beitrag wird der südtransdanubische Fundplatz Alsónyék-Bátaszék (Ungarn) vorgestellt, auf dem in den Jahren 2006–2009 nahezu 2500 Bestattungen und 60 Langhäuser der spätneolithisch-frühkupferzeitlichen Lengyel-Kultur ergraben und dokumentiert werden konnten. Im Mittelpunkt der Betrachtungen steht das der frühkupferzeitlichen Lengyel-Kultur zuzuweisende Grab 5603/927 mit der Bestattung eines Mannes. Dem Toten waren zahlreiche Beigaben in das Grab gegeben worden, unter anderem eine Steinaxt, ein Steinbeil und Silexmesser aus Importmaterial, ferner Kollektionen von Silexklingen und Trapezen sowie Geweih- und Knochengegenstände/-geräte (Geweihaxt, Schulterblatt und Geweihstab). Die auftretenden Gerätespektren werden gegliedert und ihre Stellung in der sozialen Hierarchie dieser wie auch vergleichbarer Gemeinschaften gedeutet. Für die Bestattung wird der Beleg geführt, dass der hier beigesetzte ältere Mann zu Lebzeiten sowohl auf örtliche und regionale Rohmaterialbezugszonen als auch auf jene des Fernhandels Zugriff hatte und wohl als Person zu deuten ist, die im Gefüge seiner Zeit eine bedeutende soziale Stellung einnahm. 1 Cet article présente le site d’Alsónyék-Bátaszék en Transdanubie méridionale (Hongrie) où, de 2006 à 2009, furent fouillées et documentées près de 2500 sépultures et 60 maisons longues de la culture de Lengyel du Néolithique tardif et du Chalcolithique précoce. Nos observations visent surtout la sépulture masculine 5603/927 1 Die vorliegende Arbeit ist ein Ergebnis interdisziplinärer Forschungen (Urgeschichte, Anthropologie, Archäozoologie und Silexkunde) des neolithischen Teams am Archäologischen Institut der Ungarischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Budapest. Zeichnungen: Fiorella Tortoriello und Kata Szilágyi, Fotos: Fanni Fazekas. que l’on peut attribuer à la phase chalcolithique précoce de la culture de Lengyel. De nombreux objets avaient été déposés auprès du défunt, entre autres une hache perforée en pierre, une hache en pierre et un couteau en silex importé (de Volhynie), des séries de lames et trapèzes en silex ainsi que des objets/outils en os et bois de cerf (hache et bâton en bois de cerf, omoplate). Les éventails d’outils en présence sont classés et l’on interprète ensuite leur rôle dans la hiérarchie sociale de cette communauté et d’autres qui lui sont comparables. Il est établi que l’homme âgé enterré ici avait accès de son vivant à des zones de matières premières locales et régionales ainsi qu’aux réseaux d’échanges à longue distance. Il s’agit vraisemblablement d’une personne qui occupait une position influente dans la société de son époque. This article presents the South Transdanubian site of Alsónyék-Bátaszék (Hungary) where nearly 2500 burials and 60 longhouses of the Late Neolithic–Early Copper Lengyel Culture were excavated and documented from 2006 until 2009. The focus of the article is on grave 5603/927 – the burial of a man attributed to the Early Copper Lengyel Culture. Numerous grave goods were present in his grave, among them a stone axe, a stone adze and silex knife made from imported material, as well as collections of silex blades and trapezes, antler and bone objects/tools (antler axe, scapula and antler staff). The paper categorises the tools and interprets their significance in the social hierarchy of this society and in comparable societies. Evidence is presented that the older man buried here held an important social position during his lifetime, someone who had access to local and regional sources of raw materials and also engaged in long-distance trade.

High pressure metaophiolite polished stone implements found in Hungary

Good quality high pressure (HP) metaophiolite rock types (e.g. Na-pyroxenite/jade, eclogite) suitable for making prehistoric polished stone implements were unknown among Hungarian findings for a long time. Nowadays they are still among the rarest types of polished stone implements found in Hungary in the respect of raw material. After the first discovery of Neolithic stone tools made of HP metaophiolites in the records of Hungarian archaeological assemblages, detailed petrological investigations of large stone implement collections revealed their presence in a relatively large number. According to our current knowledge, 25 HP metaophiolite stone implements are known as found in Hungary. Unfortunately, most of them are stray finds, but 11 pieces from four localities have a known archaeological context. They were mainly located in Transdanubia (except for one piece from Tiszántúl) and are mostly attributable to the Late Neolithic Lengyel Culture and secondarily to the Late Neolithic Tisza Culture. In this study, we used only non-destructive analytical methods (macroscopic observation, magnetic susceptibility measurements, non-destructive SEM-EDX, and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis). As a result of this study, the prehistoric stone implements were classified into raw material types. Based on our data, the high pressure-low temperature (HP-LT) metaophiolite stone implements found in Hungary probably originated from the same raw material sources as the Italian HP-LT metaophiolite stone tools (sourcing from North-western Italy). According to the literature on the topic, both primary (Western Alps in the vicinity of the Monviso in Piedmont or the Voltri Massif in Liguria) and secondary occurrences (in Quaternary deposits of the rivers Po, Staffora and Curone) are potential sources. These analyses confirmed the existence of long-distance trade routes connecting the Po Valley and its vicinity with the Carpathian Basin during the Vth Millennium BC.