Ancient DNA from some of Europe’s last hunter-gatherers has shed light on the cultural strategies employed to avoid inbreeding in these communities. The study, published in the journal PNAS, provides insights into the genetic makeup of Stone Age hunter-gatherers who lived near new Neolithic farming communities in Western Europe. High-tech DNA analysis of skeletons buried 8,000 years ago in France revealed that the last hunter-gatherer groups likely developed cultural strategies to avoid inbreeding. The researchers sequenced and analyzed the complete genomes of 10 individuals found at burial sites in modern-day France, shedding light on the genetic diversity and kinship among ancient communities. The individuals lived between about 8,300 and 6,760 years ago, with most of them buried at Téviec and Hoedic, two coastal archaeological sites in northwestern France.
The study, led by researchers from Uppsala University and several French institutions, revealed a deliberate system for avoiding inbreeding in Stone Age communities. By obtaining biomolecular data from human skeletons buried at iconic sites in France, the researchers found that distinct families lived together, suggesting that blood relations and kinship were not all-important for the way these communities functioned. These findings challenge the notion that blood relations were primary in ancient societies, emphasizing the deliberate cultural strategies employed to maintain genetic diversity.
The genetic study offers significant implications for understanding the social dynamics and cultural practices of Stone Age hunter-gatherer communities in Western Europe. The findings indicate that these ancient societies likely had a sophisticated understanding of the risks associated with inbreeding, leading to deliberate strategies for diversifying the gene pool. The research provides valuable insights into the genetic and social behaviors of the last Western European hunter-gatherers, shedding light on their interactions with the Neolithic farming communities that emerged during this period of transition.
The study’s lead author, Evrim Yazgin, who holds a Bachelor of Science majoring in mathematical physics and a Master of Science in physics from the University of Melbourne, emphasized the significance of the findings in understanding the genetic and social dynamics of ancient communities. The research highlights the adaptive strategies employed by Stone Age hunter-gatherer societies, shaping our understanding of human cultural evolution and the complexities of genetic interactions in ancient populations.
The genetic analysis of Stone Age hunter-gatherer communities in Western Europe offers a remarkable insight into the cultural and genetic strategies employed to maintain genetic diversity and avoid inbreeding. This pioneering study contributes to our understanding of the social dynamics, kinship structures, and adaptive behaviors of ancient societies, providing valuable insights into the genetic and social complexities of prehistoric human populations.
