Wolfram Schier

Direct evidence for positive selection of skin, hair, and eye pigmentation in Europeans during the last 5,000 y

Significance Eye, hair, and skin pigmentation are highly variable in humans, particularly in western Eurasian populations. This diversity may be explained by population history, the relaxation of selection pressures, or positive selection. To investigate whether positive natural selection is responsible for depigmentation within Europe, we estimated the strength of selection acting on three genes known to have significant effects on human pigmentation. In a direct approach, these estimates were made using ancient DNA from prehistoric Europeans and computer simulations. This allowed us to determine selection coefficients for a precisely bounded period in the deep past. Our results indicate that strong selection has been operating on pigmentation-related genes within western Eurasia for the past 5,000 y. Pigmentation is a polygenic trait encompassing some of the most visible phenotypic variation observed in humans. Here we present direct estimates of selection acting on functional alleles in three key genes known to be involved in human pigmentation pathways—HERC2, SLC45A2, and TYR—using allele frequency estimates from Eneolithic, Bronze Age, and modern Eastern European samples and forward simulations. Neutrality was overwhelmingly rejected for all alleles studied, with point estimates of selection ranging from around 2–10% per generation. Our results provide direct evidence that strong selection favoring lighter skin, hair, and eye pigmentation has been operating in European populations over the last 5,000 y.

Conversion of biomass to charcoal and the carbon mass balance from a slash-and-burn experiment in a temperate deciduous forest:

Anthropogenic burning, including slash-and-burn, was deliberately used in (pre)historic Central Europe. Biomass burning has affected the global carbon cycle since, presumably, the early Holocene. The understanding of processes and rates of charcoal formation in temperate deciduous forests is limited, as is the extent of prehistoric human impact on the environment. We took advantage of an experimental burning to simulate Neolithic slash-and-burn, and we quantified the biomass fuel and charcoal produced, determined the resulting distribution of the charcoal size fractions and calculated the carbon mass balance. Two-thirds of the charcoal particles (6.71 t/ha) were larger than 2000 μm and the spatial distribution of charcoal was highly variable (15—90% per m2). The conversion rate of the biomass fuel to charcoal mass was 4.8%, or 8.1% for the conversion of biomass carbon to charcoal carbon, and 58.4 t C/ha was lost during the fire, presumably as a component of aerosols or gases.

Ancestry and demography and descendants of Iron Age nomads of the Eurasian Steppe

During the 1st millennium before the Common Era (BCE), nomadic tribes associated with the Iron Age Scythian culture spread over the Eurasian Steppe, covering a territory of more than 3,500 km in breadth. To understand the demographic processes behind the spread of the Scythian culture, we analysed genomic data from eight individuals and a mitochondrial dataset of 96 individuals originating in eastern and western parts of the Eurasian Steppe. Genomic inference reveals that Scythians in the east and the west of the steppe zone can best be described as a mixture of Yamnaya-related ancestry and an East Asian component. Demographic modelling suggests independent origins for eastern and western groups with ongoing gene-flow between them, plausibly explaining the striking uniformity of their material culture. We also find evidence that significant gene-flow from east to west Eurasia must have occurred early during the Iron Age.

Vorbericht über die rumänisch-deutschen Prospektionen und Ausgrabungen in der befestigten Tellsiedlung von Uivar, jud. Timiş, Rumänien (1998-2002)

Abstract Seit 1998 wird der spätneolithisch-frühkupferzeitliche Tell bei Uivar im rumänischen Banat in einem Kooperationsprojekt zwischen der Universität Würzburg und dem Muzeul Banatului Timişoara durch Prospektion und Ausgrabung untersucht. Dieser erste Vorbericht gibt einen Überblick über die Ergebnisse der geophysikalischen und sedimentologischen Prospektionen, der archäobotanischen Untersuchungen und natürlich der archäologischen Grabungen auf rund 1300 m2 Fläche. Die erste großflächige und hochauflösende geomagnetische Prospektion eines Tells in Südosteuropa erbrachte nicht nur eine Vielzahl abgebrannter Hausstellen, sondern vor allem ein unerwartet komplexes System von Grabenanlagen, die nicht nur am Fuß des Siedlungshügels, sondern auch in großem Abstand in der Schwemmebene verlaufen. Die bisher durchgeführten Grabungen galten sowohl der Verifikation und Datierung des Befestigungssystems sowie einer komplexen Torsituation als auch der Untersuchung der Innenbebauung, wo detaillierte Einblicke in die Hausarchitektur gewonnen werden konnten. Der umfangreiche Fundstoff gehört zum überwiegenden Teil der Stufe C der Vinča-Kultur an, Importe belegen Kontakte mit der Theiß-Kultur und Turdaş-Gruppe. Bis jetzt singulär im Neolithikum Südosteuropas ist der Fund einer zur Hälfte erhaltenen lebensgroßen Lehmmaske. Unerwartet stark vertreten ist die frühkupferzeitliche (Proto-)Tiszapolgár-Kultur. Für die spätneolithische Siedlung liegen bislang elf 14C-Daten vor, die einen Zeitraum zwischen 4950 und 4500 calBC markieren. Begleitende geo- und biowissenschaftliche Untersuchungen geben Einblicke in die wirtschaftlichen Grundlagen der Siedlung und die gravierenden Veränderungen der umgebenden Landschaft.

Farming in the forest—Ecology and economy of fire in prehistoric agriculture

For a better understanding of the past, knowledge about ancient nutrition, agriculture and landscape is essential. For historical periods, proxy data obtained from archaeology, soil and past vegetation can be cross-checked with data from written sources. However, for the long duration of the prehistoric period the latter are not available. Reconstructions of landscape and land use are therefore not based on direct evidence, but have the character of models derived from hypotheses. Comparisons with ethnographic data and experimental testing will help to obtain better and more plausible models. In 1995, an agrarian and archaeological experiment started in the Hohenloher Freilandmuseum at Schwabisch HallWackershofen in southwest Germany. Initiated by Manfred Rosch, a team of scientists from different fields and institutions began to simulate and to compare farming practices like a hypothetical Late Neolithic swidden agriculture with a High Medieval three field system. After three years of intensive work and the gaining of much new practical experience, the experiments were moved fromWackershofen to Forchtenberg, where the forest administration of the state of Baden-Wurttemberg placed a forest plot of three hectares at the disposal of the research group for at least 20 years. At this time the composition of the group changed. Since 1999 until today, the same people have been working together, carrying out experiments to improve our understanding of Neolithic agriculture in forested landscapes of the temperate zone. During these years, further researchers have joined the working group, as is reflected by the authors listed in the most recent publications. Since the early years not only practical work and internal scientific discussion have been important, but also communication with the broader scientific community. During the pioneer phase in Wackershofen, a scientific colloquium took place each year at a regional or national level. During the following 14 years in Forchtenberg, four national and international scientific conferences have been organized at the nearby Schontal monastery, the third being at the same time the annual meeting of the Arbeitskreis Vegetationsgeschichte der Reinhold-Tuxen-Gesellschaft. The fourth and so far biggest meeting took place under the title Farming in the forest—Ecology and economy of fire in prehistoric agriculture, 3rd International Schontal Conference from 11th to 15th July 2012. Altogether 67 participants from 16 countries presented their work in 26 papers or posters, discussed and visited the experimental area in Forchtenberg. This special volume of Vegetation History and Archaeobotany comprises a selection of the conference papers under the title Farming in the forest—Ecology and economy of fire in prehistoric agriculture. It has been financed by the Baden-Wurttemberg state office for the protection of monuments (Landesdenkmalamt Baden Wurttemberg). The editors hope that this volume will stimulate further research on experimental archaeobotany towards a better understanding of prehistoric agriculture. F. Bittmann (&) Niedersachsisches Institut fur historische Kustenforschung, Viktoriastr. 26/28, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany e-mail: bittmann@nihk.de

Human impact on Mid-Holocene vegetation and landscape development in the Carpathian region using a fuzzy approach

This study contributes to the joint research project “Textile Revolution” which aims to elucidate temporal and spatial aspects of the introduction and spread of wool bearing sheep during the Mid-Holocene by integrating data from different research fields such as archaeology, archaeozoology, assyriology and geoarchaeology. The geoarchaeological approach presented here focuses on the environmental impact of increased animal herding with a spatial focus on the Carpathian region.

Nachruf: Georg Kossack 1923–2004 (Wolfram Schier)

Abstract Am 17. 10. 2004 verstarb im 82. Lebensjahr nach kurzer Erkrankung em. Prof. Dr. Georg Kossack, von 1975–1988 Ordinarius des Münchner Instituts für Vorund Frühgeschichte und Provinzialrömische Archäologie und bis zuletzt Leiter der Kommission zur vergleichenden Archäologie römischer Alpen- und Donauländer an der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mit seinem Tod geht eine Ära zu Ende – nur wenige Persönlichkeiten haben die prähistorisch-archäologische Forschung in Deutschland und weit darüber hinaus in den letzten fünf Jahrzehnten so entscheidend geprägt wie Georg Kossack.