A man buried in Germany in the Middle Neolithic era

I0551
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:
I0551
Date:
3400 BCE - 3025 BCE
Biological Sex:
Male
mtDNA:
U3a1
Y-DNA:
G-PF3146
Cultural Period:
Middle Neolithic Salzmuende Culture, Germany
Location
Country:
Germany
Locality:
Salzmünde-Schiepzig
Coordinates:
51.5331, 11.8331
Map Location
Historical Timeline
Description

The Salzmuende Culture was a significant archaeological culture during the Middle Neolithic period, approximately dated between 3400 and 3000 BCE, which flourished in what is today the region of central Germany, particularly around the area of Salzmuende (Salzmünde in German) in the modern state of Saxony-Anhalt. This culture is part of the broader tapestry of Neolithic societies in Europe, characterized by their advancements in agriculture, settlement building, and social organization.

Geographic and Temporal Context

The Salzmuende Culture developed in the middle Neolithic era, following the earlier Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) and the Funnelbeaker culture (TRB), and was contemporaneous with the late phases of the Michelsberg culture and the Globular Amphora Culture to the east. Occupying the fertile plains along the river Saale and its tributaries, the Salzmuende Culture strategically positioned themselves in areas advantageous for agriculture, hunting, and trade.

Settlements

The settlements of the Salzmuende Culture were typically located on low river terraces, reflecting an understanding of optimal arable land use and water management. These settlements often consisted of tightly clustered groups of houses built from timber and wattle-and-daub construction, showcasing advanced building techniques with pitched roofs and delineated internal spaces. The community layout indicates a degree of social organization and communal living, as evidenced by shared facilities and storage structures.

Material Culture

The Salzmuende Culture is distinguished by its remarkable ceramic style. The pottery was intricately decorated, often featuring incised motifs and sometimes elaborately sculpted forms. The ceramics include various forms such as bowls, cups, and storage vessels, serving both utilitarian and possibly symbolic roles. Stone tools from this period include finely crafted flint blades and axes, indicative of specialized craft production and trade networks, as high-quality materials were often sourced from distant locations.

Subsistence and Economy

Agriculture formed the backbone of the Salzmuende subsistence strategy. The domestication of crops such as emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, barley, and pulses supported a sedentary lifestyle. Animal husbandry complemented their diet, with cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs being the primary domesticated animals, used for food, labor, and raw materials like wool and leather. There are also indications of hunting and fishing activities, which supplemented their diet and played a role in their cultural practices.

Social Structure and Burial Practices

Though much is still speculative regarding their social structure, there is evidence to suggest hierarchical elements within the Salzmuende culture, possibly headed by local chieftains or influential families. This is inferred from the burial practices observed in their cemeteries, which sometimes include richly furnished graves indicative of social stratification. The presence of grave goods such as jewelry, ornamented pottery, and tools suggests a belief system and social differentiation.

Religion and Rituals

The Salzmuende Culture likely practiced a form of animism or ancestor worship, as inferred from their burial rites and symbolic artifacts. The placement of communal and individual burial mounds suggests a belief in an afterlife or the importance of lineage and ancestry. Ritual deposits, including pottery and animal remains, have been discovered, hinting at ceremonial practices possibly tied to agricultural cycles or community events.

Interaction and Influence

The Salzmuende Culture was not isolated but interacted with neighboring cultures, as evidenced by shared pottery styles and artifact typologies. This cultural exchange suggests trade networks and the movement of peoples and ideas across Neolithic Europe. The influence of the Michelsberg Culture, for instance, is seen in certain aspects of Salzmuende material culture and settlement patterns.

Conclusion

The Middle Neolithic Salzmuende Culture represents a sophisticated and period-defining chapter in the prehistory of central Europe. Through their advanced agricultural practices, distinctive material culture, and social organization, they significantly contributed to the cultural landscape of the European Neolithic. Ongoing archaeological studies continue to shed light on their complex society, providing insights into the daily lives, beliefs, and interactions of Neolithic communities in this region of Germany.

Related Samples
Sample ID Culture/Period Date Location Action
I0234 Srubnaya Culture 1850 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Samara Steppes. Rozhdestveno I, Russia View
I0126 Middle Bronze Poltavka 2867 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Kutuluk River. Kutuluk III, Russia View
I0432 Middle Bronze Poltavka 2925 BCE Samara Oblast. Sok River. Potapovka I, Russia View
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
I0124 Hunter-Gatherer Samara, Russia 5660 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Lebyazhinka, Russia View
I0370 Early Bronze Samara Yamnaya 3300 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Eastern Orenburg. Pre-Ural steppe. Ishkinovka I, Russia View
I0441 Early Bronze Samara Yamnaya 3010 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Buzuluk. Kurmanaevka III, Russia View
I0444 Early Bronze Samara Yamnaya 3335 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Kutuluk River. Kutuluk, Russia View
I0439 Early Bronze Samara Yamnaya 3322 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Lopatino I, Russia View
I0357 Early Bronze Samara Yamnaya 3093 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Lopatino I, Russia View
I0429 Early Bronze Samara Yamnaya 3339 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Lopatino I, Russia View
I1282 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1302 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1276 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1284 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1274 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1280 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1314 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1277 Chalcolithic Spain 2570 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1272 Chalcolithic Spain 2857 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1281 Chalcolithic Spain 2867 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1300 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I0807 Middle Neolithic Baalberge Culture, Germany 3977 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0559 Middle Neolithic Baalberge Culture, Germany 3646 BCE Quedlinburg Site IX, Germany View
I0560 Middle Neolithic Baalberge Culture, Germany 3637 BCE Quedlinburg Site IX, Germany View
I1546 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Benzingerode-Heimburg, Germany View
I0806 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2433 BCE Quedlinburg Site VII, Germany View
I0805 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2465 BCE Quedlinburg Site VII, Germany View
I0113 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2396 BCE Quedlinburg Site XII, Germany View
I0112 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2455 BCE Quedlinburg Site XII, Germany View
I1530 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2456 BCE Rothenschirmbach, Germany View
I0111 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2474 BCE Rothenschirmbach, Germany View
I0108 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2575 BCE Rothenschirmbach, Germany View
I0171 Late Neolithic Benzigerode-Heimburg, Germany 2288 BCE Benzingerode-Heimburg, Germany View
I0059 Late Neolithic Benzigerode-Heimburg, Germany 2343 BCE Benzingerode-Heimburg, Germany View
I1542 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I1536 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I1544 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I1538 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I1539 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2630 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0106 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2461 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I1540 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I1541 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I1532 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0049 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2463 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0211 Hunter-Gatherer Karelia, Russia 7050 BCE Karelia. Yuzhnyy Oleni Ostrov, Russia View
I0061 Hunter-Gatherer Karelia, Russia 7050 BCE Karelia. Yuzhnyy Oleni Ostrov, Russia View
I0550 Late Neolithic Karsdorf, Germany 2572 BCE Karsdorf, Germany View
I0797 Early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Germany 5500 BCE Karsdorf, Germany View
I0795 Early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Germany 5215 BCE Karsdorf, Germany View
I0176 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5209 BCE Szemely-Hegyes, Hungary View
I0551 Middle Neolithic Salzmuende Culture, Germany 3400 BCE Salzmünde-Schiepzig, Germany View
I0409 Early Neolithic Spain 5312 BCE Els Trocs, Spain View
I0411 Early Neolithic Spain 5298 BCE Els Trocs, Spain View
I0405 Middle to Late Neolithic Spain 3900 BCE La Mina, Spain View
I0174 Early Neolithic Starčevo Culture 1, Hungary 5712 BCE Alsonyek-Bataszek. Mérnöki telep, Hungary View
I0115 Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture, Germany 1959 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0117 Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture, Germany 2276 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0804 Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture, Germany 2139 BCE Eulau, Germany View
I0803 Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture, Germany 2135 BCE Eulau, Germany View
I0164 Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture, Germany 2027 BCE Quedlinburg Site VIII, Germany View
I0114 Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture, Germany 2141 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0022 Early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Germany 5500 BCE Baden-Württemberg. Stuttgart-Mühlhausen. Viesenhaeuser Hof, Germany View
I0026 Early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Germany 5500 BCE Baden-Württemberg. Stuttgart-Mühlhausen. Viesenhaeuser Hof, Germany View
I0013 Hunter-Gatherer Motala, Sweden 5966 BCE Motala. Kanaljorden, Sweden View
I0011 Hunter-Gatherer Motala, Sweden 5721 BCE Motala. Kanaljorden, Sweden View
I0015 Hunter-Gatherer Motala, Sweden 5967 BCE Motala. Kanaljorden, Sweden View
I0012 Hunter-Gatherer Motala, Sweden 5715 BCE Motala. Kanaljorden, Sweden View
I0014 Hunter-Gatherer Motala, Sweden 5885 BCE Motala. Kanaljorden, Sweden View
I0017 Hunter-Gatherer Motala, Sweden 5722 BCE Motala. Kanaljorden, Sweden View
I1508 Early Neolithic Körös Culture, Hungary 5716 BCE Berettyóújfalu-Morotva-Liget, Hungary View
I1500 Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5301 BCE Kompolt-Kigyoser, Hungary View
I1100 Neolithic Turkey 6500 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1102 Neolithic Turkey 6500 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1099 Neolithic Turkey 6500 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1103 Neolithic Turkey 6500 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1101 Neolithic Turkey 6500 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1097 Neolithic Turkey 6420 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0744 Neolithic Turkey 6400 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1096 Neolithic Turkey 6500 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1098 Neolithic Turkey 6419 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0708 Neolithic Turkey 6224 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0745 Neolithic Turkey 6387 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0746 Neolithic Turkey 6070 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0707 Neolithic Turkey 6225 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0709 Neolithic Turkey 6223 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0725 Neolithic Turkey 6400 BCE Menteşe, Turkey View
I0736 Neolithic Turkey 6500 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1499 Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture Bükk Group, Hungary 5286 BCE Garadna, Hungary View
I1502 Early Bronze Age Makó Culture, Hungary 2195 BCE Kompolt-Kigyoser, Hungary View
I1497 Late Chalcolithic Baden Culture, Hungary 3320 BCE Apc-Berekalya I, Hungary View
I1495 Late Neolithic Lengyel Culture, Hungary 4496 BCE Apc-Berekalya I, Hungary View
I1498 Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5297 BCE Debrecen Tocopart Erdoalja, Hungary View
I1507 Early Neolithic Hunter-Gatherer Körös Culture, Hungary 5788 BCE Tiszaszolos-Domaháza, Hungary View
I1496 Middle Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5211 BCE Apc-Berekalya I, Hungary View
I1505 Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary 5210 BCE Polgár-Ferenci hát. M3-31, Hungary View
I1271 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1303 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I1549 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Benzingerode-Heimburg, Germany View
I0407 Middle to Late Neolithic Spain 3900 BCE La Mina, Spain View
I0025 Early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Germany 5500 BCE Baden-Württemberg. Stuttgart-Mühlhausen. Viesenhaeuser Hof, Germany View
I0247 Questionable Iron Age Scythian, Russia 385 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Volga Steppes. Nadezhdinka, Russia View
I0423 Srubnaya Culture 1850 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Samara River. Barinovka I, Russia View
I0443 Early Bronze Samara Yamnaya 3300 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Lopatino II, Russia View
I0726 Neolithic Turkey 6400 BCE Menteşe, Turkey View
I0103 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2617 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0172 Middle Neolithic Esperstedt, Germany 3363 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0408 Middle to Late Neolithic Spain 3895 BCE La Mina, Spain View
I0412 Early Neolithic Spain 5309 BCE Els Trocs, Spain View
I0054 Early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture, Germany 5216 BCE Unterwiederstedt, Germany View
I0104 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2563 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0116 Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture, Germany 2137 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0118 Late Neolithic Alberstedt, Germany 2469 BCE Alberstedt, Germany View
I0406 Middle to Late Neolithic Spain 3900 BCE La Mina, Spain View
I0410 Early Neolithic Spain 5298 BCE Els Trocs, Spain View
I0413 Early Neolithic Spain 5304 BCE Els Trocs, Spain View
I0235 Srubnaya Culture 1850 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Samara Steppes. Rozhdestveno I, Russia View
I0374 Middle Bronze Poltavka 2800 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Samara River. Nikolaevka III, Russia View
I1583 Neolithic Turkey 6424 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0581 Chalcolithic Spain 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I0440 Middle Bronze Poltavka 2887 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Lopatino II, Russia View
I0371 Middle Bronze Poltavka 2871 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Grachevka, Russia View
I0438 Early Bronze Samara Yamnaya 3020 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Samara River. Luzkhi I, Russia View
I0418 Middle Bronze Poltavka 2131 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Samara River. Utyevka VI, Russia View
I0099 Late Bronze Age Halberstadt, Germany 1202 BCE Halberstadt-Sonntagsfeld, Germany View
I0047 Early Bronze Age Unetice Culture, Germany 2116 BCE Halberstadt-Sonntagsfeld, Germany View
I1534 Corded Ware Culture, Germany 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I0060 Bell Beaker Culture, Germany 2404 BCE Rothenschirmbach, Germany View
I0723 Neolithic Turkey 6008 BCE Menteşe, Turkey View
I0724 Neolithic Turkey 6400 BCE Menteşe, Turkey View
I0727 Neolithic Turkey 6400 BCE Menteşe, Turkey View
I1580 Neolithic Turkey 6381 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1581 Neolithic Turkey 6386 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1585 Neolithic Turkey 6217 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1579 Neolithic Turkey 6221 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0854 Neolithic Turkey 6228 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0581 2900 BCE Burgos. Atapuerca. El Mirador Cave, Spain View
I0440 2887 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Lopatino II, Russia View
I0418 2131 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Samara River. Utyevka VI, Russia View
I0438 3020 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Samara River. Luzkhi I, Russia View
I0585 5982 BCE Leon. La Brana-Arintero, Spain View
I1534 2500 BCE Esperstedt, Germany View
I1504 987 BCE Ludas-Varjú dűlő, Hungary View
I0099 1202 BCE Halberstadt-Sonntagsfeld, Germany View
I0047 2116 BCE Halberstadt-Sonntagsfeld, Germany View
I1579 6221 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1581 6386 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1580 6381 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1585 6217 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I1583 6424 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0727 6400 BCE Menteşe, Turkey View
I0724 6400 BCE Menteşe, Turkey View
I0854 6228 BCE Northwest Anatolia. Marmara. Barcın, Turkey View
I0723 6008 BCE Menteşe, Turkey View
I0371 2871 BCE Samara Oblast. Volga River Valley. Sok River. Grachevka, Russia View
I0060 2404 BCE Rothenschirmbach, Germany View
Sample ID Culture/Period Date Location Action
I0802 Middle Neolithic Salzmuende Culture, Germany 3400 BCE Salzmünde-Schiepzig, Germany View
I0800 Middle Neolithic Salzmuende Culture, Germany 3348 BCE Salzmünde-Schiepzig, Germany View
I0551 Middle Neolithic Salzmuende Culture, Germany 3400 BCE Salzmünde-Schiepzig, Germany View
Ancient Genetic Admixture

Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I0551) 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 63%
European Hunter-Gatherers 26%
Western Steppe Pastoralists 11%
Modern Genetic Admixture

Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I0551) 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 93%
Southern European 90%
Italian 30.3%
Iberian 28.9%
Sardinian 24.1%
Balkan 7.1%
Northwestern European 3%
Northwestern European 2.5%
Asia 7%
Northern West Asian 7%
Cypriot 7.1%
G25 Coordinates

The G25 coordinates for the sample I0551 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.

I0551,0.11823018,0.15941776,0.0353273,-0.02332754,0.05641362,-0.0127558,-0.00196058,0.00656004,0.03601118,0.05894292,-0.00619018,0.01392268,-0.0243923,-0.01147316,-0.00118432,0.0030816,-0.00011102,-0.00139772,-0.00178426,-0.0026149,0.0029497,0.00530584,-0.01146486,-0.016806,0.00402897
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
Save 85% coupon: DNADAY85

Valid until April 25 2025