A woman buried in Italy in the Hunter-Gatherer era
The Southern Italy Hunter-Gatherer culture, part of the broader Mediterranean Hunter-Gatherers, represents one of the fascinating prehistoric epochs in Italy’s rich history. This era is primarily characterized by the lifestyle and adaptations of the early humans who inhabited the regions of Southern Italy during the Mesolithic period, roughly from around 10,000 to 5,000 BCE.
Geographic and Environmental Context
Southern Italy during the era of hunter-gatherers was vastly different from what we see today. The region consisted of a mosaic of environments, including coastal areas, dense forests, and mountains, which significantly influenced the livelihoods of these early inhabitants. The end of the last Ice Age brought about climatic shifts that led to the gradual warming of the region, facilitating diverse flora and fauna, which the hunter-gatherers effectively exploited.
Subsistence and Lifestyle
The Southern Italy Hunter-Gatherers were highly mobile, relying on hunting, fishing, and foraging. Their diet consisted predominantly of small and large game such as deer and wild boar, supplemented by a variety of plant foods, nuts, and fruits, as well as aquatic resources from the Mediterranean Sea. The abundance of marine resources meant that these communities were probably excellent fishers, exploiting species like shellfish and small coastal fish.
Tools and Technology
The technological toolkit of the Southern Italy Hunter-Gatherers included a variety of stone tools, such as microliths, blades, and burins, which were used for hunting, processing animal hides, and crafting other tools. Flint was commonly used due to its abundance and utility in creating sharp-edged implements. Additionally, evidence of bone and antler tools suggests a sophisticated approach to tool-making, allowing for more efficient hunting and food processing practices.
Social Organization and Culture
The social structures of these hunter-gatherers were likely based on small, kin-based groups that moved seasonally within defined territories to exploit different resources. The transitory nature of these groups means they had less emphasis on accumulating material possessions but placed significant importance on knowledge transfer and community bonds.
Ceremonial and artistic expressions are evidenced through various forms such as primitive carvings and cave paintings, found in sites like the Grotto of Paglicci in Apulia, suggesting the development of symbolic thought and possibly spiritual practices. These artworks not only illustrate daily life and natural surroundings but also hint at the complex social and cultural frameworks guiding these early societies.
Interaction with Environment
The Southern Italy Hunter-Gatherers were highly adept at adapting to their geographical context, using their deep understanding of the local environment to best harness its resources. This includes sustainable practices and efficient use of natural tools and materials, which hint at an intricate relationship with their surroundings.
Transition and Legacy
This hunter-gatherer culture eventually transitioned with the advent of agriculture, influenced by the influx of Neolithic farming communities from the Eastern Mediterranean. This transition was gradual and involved the integration of farming practices into their traditional lifestyle, ultimately leading to significant social and economic transformations.
The legacy of the Southern Italy Hunter-Gatherers is integral to understanding the broader narrative of prehistoric human development in the Mediterranean. These early inhabitants laid the foundational aspects of adaptive ingenuity and cultural complexity that would be built upon by subsequent civilizations in the region. The archaeological findings from this period continue to provide valuable insights into the resilience and adaptability of human societies in the face of climatic and environmental changes.
Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (Continenza) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles ancient populations from different geographic regions.
Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (Continenza) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles modern populations from different geographic regions.
These results complement the ancient ancestry components shown in the previous section, offering a different perspective on the individual's genetic profile by comparing it with modern reference populations rather than prehistoric ancestral groups.
The G25 coordinates for the sample Continenza are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.
Continenza,0.13368204,0.12159896,0.08542116,0.0761268,0.04118108,0.03279452,0.00938044,0.016048,-0.00079284,-0.02971732,-0.00281164,-0.0073988,0.01605904,0.02018668,-0.00312388,0.00350624,0.0016216,-0.00197432,0.00541736,0.001825,0.00199164,-0.00454852,0.00124392,0.00443412,0.00026402
The genetic history of Ice Age Europe
Modern humans arrived in Europe ~45,000 years ago, but little is known about their genetic composition before the start of farming ~8,500 years ago. Here we analyse genome-wide data from 51 Eurasians from ~45,000-7,000 years ago. Over this time, the proportion of Neanderthal DNA decreased from 3-6% to around 2%, consistent with natural selection against Neanderthal variants in modern humans. Whereas there is no evidence of the earliest modern humans in Europe contributing to the genetic composition of present-day Europeans, all individuals between ~37,000 and ~14,000 years ago descended from a single founder population which forms part of the ancestry of present-day Europeans. An ~35,000-year-old individual from northwest Europe represents an early branch of this founder population which was then displaced across a broad region, before reappearing in southwest Europe at the height of the last Ice Age ~19,000 years ago. During the major warming period after ~14,000 years ago, a genetic component related to present-day Near Easterners became widespread in Europe. These results document how population turnover and migration have been recurring themes of European prehistory.