A high-resolution picture of kinship practices in an Early Neolithic tomb

Chris Fowler ¹, Iñigo Olalde ^2,3,4, Vicki Cummings ⁵

¹School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. chris.fowler@newcastle.ac.uk.
²BIOMICs Research Group, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. inigo.olalde@ehu.eus.
³Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. inigo.olalde@ehu.eus.
⁴Ikerbasque-Basque Foundation of Science, Bilbao, Spain. inigo.olalde@ehu.eus.
⁵School of Natural Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK.
⁶Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, UK.
⁷Department of Archaeology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
⁸Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁹Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
¹⁰Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
¹¹Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. ron.pinhasi@univie.ac.at.
¹²Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. reich@genetics.med.harvard.edu.
¹³Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. reich@genetics.med.harvard.edu.
¹⁴Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. reich@genetics.med.harvard.edu.
¹⁵Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA. reich@genetics.med.harvard.edu.

⁰School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. chris.fowler@newcastle.ac.uk.

Nature +

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December 23, 2021

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Early Neolithic Britons practiced patrilineal descent, burying men and their descendants in chambered tombs. Genetic analysis revealed distinct maternal sub-lineages and potential social adoptions, expanding our understanding of ancient kinship.

Area Of Science

Archaeogenetics
Neolithic Studies
Social Archaeology

Background

Chambered tombs are significant Early Neolithic sites in Britain.
Understanding kinship structures is crucial for interpreting past societies.
Previous studies lacked direct genetic evidence for Neolithic kinship.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate kinship practices at the Hazleton North long cairn using archaeological and genetic data.
To reconstruct the first extended pedigree from ancient DNA in this context.
To reveal invisible kinship patterns and social structures.

Main Methods

Combined archaeological analysis with ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis.
Reconstructed a five-generation pedigree from 35 individuals buried ~5,700 years ago.
Analyzed intergenerational transmissions and burial patterns.

Main Results

Established patrilineal descent as the primary factor for tomb burial, with all 15 intergenerational transmissions occurring through men.
Identified evidence for virilocal burial and female exogamy.
Demonstrated grouping of maternal sub-lineages within the tomb.
Found evidence for adoption of children into the patriline.
Identified individuals with potential social, non-biological kinship ties.

Conclusions

Kinship in Early Neolithic Britain was strongly patrilineal, influencing burial practices.
Tomb construction reflected recognized maternal sub-lineages.
Ancient DNA analysis provides unprecedented insights into complex kinship and social structures, including adoption and non-biological ties.