A man buried in Hungary in the Middle Neolithic era

The Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture (ALPC) in Hungary is an integral part of the broader Neolithic era in Europe, characterized by significant developments in agriculture, social organization, and material culture. This culture, flourishing approximately between 5300 and 4500 BCE, is closely related to the Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) but exhibits distinctive regional adaptations and innovations.
Geographical Context and Chronology
The Alföld Linear Pottery Culture is primarily concentrated in the Great Hungarian Plain, also known as the Alföld, which provides a rich agricultural setting with fertile soils and ample water resources from river systems like the Tisza and the Danube. This strategic location facilitated interactions with neighboring cultures and influenced the ALPC's economic and social development.
Subsistence and Economy
One of the hallmarks of the ALPC is the transition from a foraging lifestyle to a sedentary agricultural one. The inhabitants engaged in mixed farming, cultivating cereals such as wheat and barley, and legumes like peas and lentils. They also practiced animal husbandry, raising domesticated animals, including cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. The combination of plant cultivation and animal breeding provided a stable food supply and encouraged permanent settlements.
Settlements and Architecture
ALPC settlements were typically small, consisting of several longhouses made of timber and wattle-and-daub construction. These structures, sometimes reaching up to 20 meters in length, were arranged in dispersed patterns rather than clustered villages. The settlement patterns reflect a semi-nucleated strategy, possibly designed to exploit diverse ecological zones for farming and grazing.
Material Culture
The material culture of the ALPC is distinguished by its ceramics, which exhibit a high degree of craftsmanship. Pottery from this period is characterized by finely made vessels with incised or impressed linear decorations, hence the name \Linear Pottery." These motifs often include simple geometric shapes, lines, and sometimes representational figures, possibly imbued with symbolic meanings related to social identity or spiritual beliefs.
Additionally, stone tools are prevalent, with a variety of implements crafted from local and imported flint, obsidian, and other stones. These tools were used for a range of purposes, including farming, hunting, and household activities.
Social Structure and Community Life
The ALPC communities likely had a relatively egalitarian social structure, oriented around kinship and communal cooperation in agricultural and domestic tasks. However, the presence of specialized artifacts and regional trading networks suggests emerging social differentiation, with some individuals or groups gaining prestige through control of resources or trade.
The existence of burial sites within settlements indicates ancestral veneration and a connection between the living community and their forebears. Burials often contain grave goods, including pottery and stone tools, suggesting beliefs in an afterlife or the importance of funerary rituals.
Trade and Interaction
The Alföld region’s location facilitated trade and interaction with adjacent cultural groups, which is evident in the spread of stylistic elements and materials across regions. The exchange networks included raw materials like flint and obsidian, as well as finished goods, fostering cultural exchange and technological diffusion.
Legacy and Influence
The ALPC forms a critical link in the Neolithic transition in Central Europe, between the initial spread of farming from the Near East and the subsequent development of complex societies in Europe. Its innovations in agriculture, settlement organization, and ceramics had lasting impacts on succeeding cultures, including the Tiszapolgár and Cucuteni-Trypillian cultures.
In summary, the Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture in Hungary represents a dynamic and transformative period characterized by advancements in agriculture, settlement patterns, and material culture. Its legacy is embedded in the broader narrative of the European Neolithic, highlighting the processes of adaptation and innovation that orchestrated the rise of sedentary agricultural communities."
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
I1500 | Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary | 5301 BCE | Kompolt-Kigyoser, Hungary | View |
I1498 | Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary | 5297 BCE | Debrecen Tocopart Erdoalja, Hungary | View |
I1505 | Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary | 5210 BCE | Polgár-Ferenci hát. M3-31, Hungary | View |
I2383 | Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary | 5300 BCE | Hajdúnánás-Eszlári út, Hungary | View |
I2384 | Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary | 5305 BCE | Hajdúnánás-Eszlári út, Hungary | View |
I4188 | Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary | 5300 BCE | Polgár-Piócás, Hungary | View |
I3535 | Middle Neolithic Alföld Linear Pottery Culture, Hungary | 5217 BCE | Hajdúnánás-Eszlári út, Hungary | View |
Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I1500) 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 (I1500) 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 I1500 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.
I1500,0.11065092,0.15993592,0.00790578,-0.05993664,0.04844372,-0.02871778,-0.00313796,0.00336778,0.04113954,0.06510726,-0.00120726,0.01025136,-0.01732696,-0.01237092,-0.01337672,0.00687854,0.01268998,0.00076456,0.00125506,-0.00230026,0.00062542,0.00566278,-0.01209868,-0.01805236,0.00348304
Genome-wide patterns of selection in 230 ancient Eurasians
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.