A woman buried in Hungary in the Middle Neolithic era

I0176
Portrait reconstruction
Disclaimer: The portrait shown is a speculative reconstruction and not the actual face of the ancient sample. It represents an artistic interpretation based on archaeological data.
Specimen Details
Sample ID:
I0176
Date:
5209 BCE - 4939 BCE
Biological Sex:
Female
mtDNA:
N1a1a1a3
Y-DNA:
Not applicable
Cultural Period:
Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary
Location
Country:
Hungary
Locality:
Szemely-Hegyes
Coordinates:
46.4000, 18.7400
Map Location
Historical Timeline
Description

The Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture (LBK), which flourished in Central Europe during the early Neolithic period, approximately between 5500 and 4500 BCE, marked a significant phase in the transition from hunting and gathering to settled agricultural societies. The LBK is primarily characterized by its distinctive pottery and was one of the first cultures in Europe to practice farming on a large scale. In what is now Hungary, as well as other parts of Central and Eastern Europe, the LBK played a crucial role in the spread of agriculture and the development of complex societies.

Settlement Patterns and Architecture

LBK communities were generally small, consisting of villages with longhouses, which were the typical dwelling structures. These longhouses were often rectangular and sizeable, measuring up to 20 meters in length and 5-7 meters in width. The construction was primarily of timber, with wattle and daub walls and thatched roofs. In Hungary, LBK settlements were usually located in fertile river valleys, which provided rich soils for agriculture, ample water resources, and natural defense advantages.

Subsistence and Economy

The Linear Pottery Culture was founded on a mixed farming economy. The primary crops cultivated included various cereals such as emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, barley, and legumes like peas and lentils. Animal husbandry was also significant, with cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats being the principal domesticated species. This development of agriculture allowed the LBK communities to sustain larger populations and promote sedentism. Additionally, there is evidence of hunting and gathering, with wild game, fish, and various plant resources supplementing the diet.

Pottery and Material Culture

One of the most defining features of the LBK is its pottery, notable for its linear and geometric decorations etched into the surfaces, giving the culture its name. Pottery was not only functional but also served as a medium for artistic expression. The vessels were primarily used for storage, cooking, and serving food and beverages. Flint tools were prevalent, including long blades used as sickles, arrowheads, and other domestic tools. Stone axes and adzes, often made from imported raw materials, highlight the development of specialized tool production and trade networks.

Social Organization and Life

The social structure of LBK societies is believed to have been relatively egalitarian based on archaeological evidence. However, some degree of social stratification could be inferred from differential access to goods and burial practices. Graves, often simple pits, occasionally contained grave goods such as tools and pottery, indicating a belief in an afterlife and perhaps some societal hierarchy.

Trade and Interaction

LBK communities participated in extensive trade networks, evidenced by the distribution of non-local raw materials like Spondylus shells from the Mediterranean, obsidian from the Carpathian Mountains, and other exotic goods. These networks facilitated not only economic transactions but also the exchange of ideas and cultural practices across vast distances.

Cultural Practices and Spirituality

The spiritual and religious aspects of the LBK culture remain less understood due to limited direct evidence. However, the presence of figurines, treated human remains, and ritual deposits suggest a rich spiritual life with likely reverence for ancestors and nature. The variability in burial practices may also reflect diverse beliefs and rituals.

Legacy

The LBK represents a critical stage in the prehistoric development of Europe, acting as a catalyst for the spread of agricultural practices across vast regions. In Hungary, the influence of the LBK laid foundational cultural and economic elements that influenced subsequent Neolithic cultures in the region. Its legacy can be seen in the continuity of agricultural practices, settlement patterns, and technological advancements that shaped the prehistoric and historical trajectories of Central Europe.

Though much remains to be discovered about this fascinating culture, the LBK’s contributions to the Neolithicization of Europe are invaluable, marking a period of innovation, adaptation, and expansion that fundamentally altered human history on the continent.

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Sample ID Culture/Period Date Location Action
I0176 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5209 BCE Szemely-Hegyes, Hungary View
I1496 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5211 BCE Apc-Berekalya I, Hungary View
I1904 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5209 BCE Bátaszék-Lajvér, Hungary View
I1882 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5300 BCE Budakeszi. Szőlőskert-Tangazdaság, Hungary View
I1883 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5303 BCE Tolna-Mözs TO26, Hungary View
I4181 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5300 BCE Bölcske-Gyűrűsvölgy, Hungary View
I4196 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5300 BCE Budakeszi. Szőlőskert-Tangazdaság, Hungary View
I2739 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5307 BCE Alsónyék-Bátaszék. site 11, Hungary View
I3536 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5300 BCE Enese elkerülő. Kóny. Proletár-dülö. M85. Site 2, Hungary View
I1506 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5306 BCE Polgár-Ferenci hát. M3-31, Hungary View
NE6 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5211 BCE Apc-Berekalya-1 (Heves County, Hatvan), Hungary View
I29891 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5208 BCE Vonyarcvashegy-Mandulás lakópart III. ütem (Zala County, Vonyarcvashegy), Hungary View
Ancient Genetic Admixture

Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I0176) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles ancient populations from different geographic regions.

Neolithic Farmers 69%
European Hunter-Gatherers 22%
Western Steppe Pastoralists 4%
Ancient Oceanians 2%
Ancient Asians 2%
Modern Genetic Admixture

Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I0176) 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.

Europe 72%
Southern European 59%
Italian 23.0%
Sardinian 19.4%
Iberian 16.4%
Northwestern European 13%
Northwestern European 13.2%
Asia 28%
Northern West Asian 16%
Cypriot 11.7%
Mesopotamian 2.3%
Anatolian 1.8%
Arab, Egyptian & Levantine 12%
Levantine 12.2%
G25 Coordinates

The G25 coordinates for the sample I0176 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.

I0176,0.09951782,0.15737352,-9.6E-05,-0.06899644,0.04129286,-0.03326492,-0.00417482,0.00266244,0.04595006,0.05513616,0.00134756,0.00503008,-0.00608842,-0.01041542,-0.01113492,0.00889268,0.00489144,0.00149326,0.00263738,0.00149348,0.0048931,0.00860746,-0.01269202,-0.01616736,0.00166116
Analyze it in G25 Studio
Scientific Papers References
Genome-wide patterns of selection in 230 ancient Eurasians
Authors:
Mathieson I, Lazaridis I, Rohland N
Abstract:

Ancient DNA makes it possible to observe natural selection directly by analysing samples from populations before, during and after adaptation events. Here we report a genome-wide scan for selection using ancient DNA, capitalizing on the largest ancient DNA data set yet assembled: 230 West Eurasians who lived between 6500 and 300 bc, including 163 with newly reported data. The new samples include, to our knowledge, the first genome-wide ancient DNA from Anatolian Neolithic farmers, whose genetic material we obtained by extracting from petrous bones, and who we show were members of the population that was the source of Europe's first farmers. We also report a transect of the steppe region in Samara between 5600 and 300 bc, which allows us to identify admixture into the steppe from at least two external sources. We detect selection at loci associated with diet, pigmentation and immunity, and two independent episodes of selection on height.

Link:
View Publication
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