A man buried in Russia in the Eneolithic era

I0434
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:
I0434
Date:
5198 BCE - 4853 BCE
Biological Sex:
Male
mtDNA:
U4d
Y-DNA:
Q-MEH2
Cultural Period:
Eneolithic Khvalynsk Culture, Russia
Location
Country:
Russia
Locality:
Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Khvalynsk II
Coordinates:
52.3534, 48.0784
Map Location
Historical Timeline
Description

The Khvalynsk culture, part of the broader Eneolithic period, is considered a significant precursor to the Indo-European cultures of the Pontic-Caspian steppe. Flourishing around 4900–3500 BCE, this culture emerged in the Volga River region in what is now Russia. The Khvalynsk culture is often linked with early Proto-Indo-European languages and peoples due to its geographic location and certain cultural attributes.

Geographic and Environmental Context

The Khvalynsk culture occupied the expansive landscapes of the Eurasian steppe, characterized by wide-open plains that are conducive to pastoralism. This environment is marked by continental climate conditions, with cold winters and hot summers, a factor influencing the economic activities of the people.

Economy and Subsistence

The economy of the Khvalynsk culture was primarily based on pastoralism, with an emphasis on cattle, sheep, and goat herding. Animal husbandry played a crucial role, not only in diet but also in social structure and ritual practices. Evidence suggests a mixed subsistence strategy that included some horticulture, hunting, and fishing, with settlements often located near rivers, providing access to aquatic resources.

Settlement Patterns

The settlements of the Khvalynsk culture were relatively small and scattered. Dwellings exhibited some degree of permanence, with semi-subterranean structures suggesting adaptations to the harsh climate. These settlements often were located near burial sites, reflecting a connection between the living and the dead in their spatial organization.

Material Culture

The material culture of Khvalynsk is distinguished by its pottery, tools, and burial goods. Pottery from this culture typically features simple designs, often with cord-impressed patterns. Stone and bone tools were prevalent, including arrowheads, scrapers, and knives that suggest a continuation of some Mesolithic traditions.

Burial Practices

One of the most distinctive aspects of the Khvalynsk culture is its burial practices. Khvalynsk graves often contained multiple individuals, possibly indicating complex kinship or social structures. The burials are accompanied by rich grave goods, including tools, ornaments, and particularly the presence of animal remains, which hint at ritualistic sacrificial practices. Some burials exhibit red ochre use, linking them to wider Eurasian burial traditions.

Social and Cultural Aspects

The Khvalynsk culture is believed to have a hierarchical society, inferred from the differing richness and complexity of their graves. This stratification points to emerging social differentiation possibly linked to wealth accumulation and control over livestock—a valuable commodity in the steppes.

Connections to Proto-Indo-European Theories

The Khvalynsk culture is often discussed in the context of Proto-Indo-European origins due to its geographic location and temporal alignment with linguistic and genetic models. Although direct evidence linking Khvalynsk to Indo-European languages remains elusive, the culture shares several characteristics with later Indo-European groups, such as pastoralism, social hierarchy, and particular mortuary practices.

Genetic and Archaeological Insights

Recent genetic studies have provided additional insights, revealing that the Khvalynsk population had ancestral components common with other steppe groups, supporting theories of movements and interactions across the region, potentially contributing to the dissemination of Proto-Indo-European languages.

In summary, the Eneolithic Khvalynsk culture of Russia appears as a pivotal culture in prehistoric Eurasia, representing societal structures, economic practices, and cultural traditions that may have influenced subsequent cultures across the steppes, including those associated with the spread of Indo-European peoples.

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Sample ID Culture/Period Date Location Action
I0434 Eneolithic Khvalynsk Culture, Russia 5198 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Khvalynsk II, Russia View
I0433 Eneolithic Khvalynsk Culture, Russia 4697 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Khvalynsk II, Russia View
I0122 Eneolithic Khvalynsk Culture, Russia 4936 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Khvalynsk II, Russia View
Ancient Genetic Admixture

Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I0434) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles ancient populations from different geographic regions.

Western Steppe Pastoralists 57%
Neolithic Farmers 18%
Ancient Asians 14%
European Hunter-Gatherers 11%
Modern Genetic Admixture

Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I0434) 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 67%
Northwestern European 36%
Finnish 25.7%
Northwestern European 10.4%
Eastern European 31%
Eastern European 31.1%
Asia 28%
Northern West Asian 15%
Caucasian 14.6%
Central Asian, Northern Indian & Pakistani 14%
Pakistan 11.9%
Indian 1.7%
America 5%
America 5%
Native American 4.7%
G25 Coordinates

The G25 coordinates for the sample I0434 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.

I0434,0.10800276,0.03555124,0.02953144,0.03948114,-0.02516518,0.00817086,0.01311648,0.00817322,-0.02602698,-0.03441556,0.00895198,-0.00459042,0.00910668,-0.01057834,-0.00876766,-0.01088688,-0.00975274,-0.00208616,-0.01070062,-0.01221544,-0.00210378,0.00562698,-0.01205414,0.00636054,-0.00492257
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:
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