A man buried in Poland in the Bronze Age era

RISE431
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:
RISE431
Date:
2286 BCE - 2044 BCE
Biological Sex:
Male
mtDNA:
T2e
Y-DNA:
R-M417
Cultural Period:
Corded Ware to Proto-Unetice Culture, Poland
Location
Country:
Poland
Locality:
Leki Male
Coordinates:
52.1430, 16.5380
Map Location
Historical Timeline
Description

The transition from the Corded Ware culture to the Proto-Unetice culture marks a significant phase in the early Bronze Age in Central Europe, particularly in what is now modern-day Poland. This period represents a transformative epoch in prehistoric Europe, characterized by cultural transmission, technological innovation, and social stratification.

Corded Ware Culture (c. 2900–2350 BCE)

The Corded Ware culture is named after its distinctive pottery, which features cord-like impressions. This cultural complex spanned across a vast geographical area in Europe, and in Poland, it flourished primarily during the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. The Corded Ware people are known for their pastoral lifestyle, with evidence suggesting that they practiced mixed farming, including livestock rearing and crop cultivation. They are often associated with Indo-European linguistic roots, believed to be among the predecessors of later European Indo-European languages.

Key Characteristics:

  • Pottery: Characterized by beakers decorated with cord impressions. Pottery was utilitarian and often found in burial contexts.
  • Burial Practices: Single graves with individuals often buried in a supine position and heads facing west. Grave goods, including pottery and stone tools, accompany burials.
  • Material Culture: Stone battle axes and flint tools are prevalent. These suggest both everyday utility and possible symbolic or status-related use.
  • Economy: Economy based largely on agro-pastoral activities with evidence of animal husbandry, particularly cattle and sheep.

Societal Structure:

  • The Corded Ware culture exhibits signs of social complexity, with variations in grave goods indicating a degree of social differentiation or emerging hierarchy.

Transition to Proto-Unetice Culture (c. 2300–1600 BCE)

As the Corded Ware culture evolved, it gradually gave rise to the Proto-Unetice culture. This transition marks a shift toward increased social complexity and technological advancement, particularly in metallurgy. The Proto-Unetice culture is often characterized as part of the early Bronze Age cultural milieu, bridging the gap between Neolithic traditions and more sophisticated Bronze Age societies.

Key Features of Proto-Unetice Culture:

  • Metallurgy: The introduction and development of bronze metallurgy represent a significant technological advancement. The creation of tools, weapons, and ornaments in bronze indicates increased metallurgical knowledge and trade.
  • Settlement Patterns: There is evidence of more permanent settlements and fortified sites, suggesting changes in social organization and possibly increased conflict or competition.
  • Burial Practices: Inhumation continued, with increasingly rich grave goods including bronze items, amber, and imported goods, reflecting enhanced trade networks and social stratification.
  • Economy and Trade: A diverse economy remained, but with more specialized production and wider trade networks, evidenced by the presence of non-local materials like amber and exotic items.

Cultural Significance

The transition from the Corded Ware to Proto-Unetice culture illustrates significant cultural and technological shifts in ancient Poland. This era laid the groundwork for subsequent cultural developments in the region, fostering more complex societal structures, technological innovations, and established long-distance trade routes that would shape the course of European prehistory. The influence of Proto-Indo-European languages and cultures also had lasting impacts on the linguistic and cultural landscape of Europe.

Conclusion

In summary, the Corded Ware to Proto-Unetice transition in Poland represents a crucial period of change during the early Bronze Age. It highlights the dynamic nature of prehistoric cultures, showcasing advancements in technology and metallurgy, changes in societal structure, and the development of new cultural identities that would influence the historical trajectory of Europe. This era serves as a foundation for understanding the complex interplay of migration, innovation, and cultural interaction in prehistoric Europe.

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RISE446 2662 BCE Bergrheinfeld, Germany View
RISE471 1687 BCE Untermeitingen, Germany View
RISE479 2000 BCE Erd 4, Hungary View
RISE480 1700 BCE Erd 4, Hungary View
RISE483 2000 BCE Erd 4, Hungary View
RISE484 2000 BCE Erd 4, Hungary View
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RISE487 3485 BCE Lombardy. Remedello di Sotto, Italy View
RISE489 2909 BCE Lombardy. Remedello di Sotto, Italy View
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RISE495 1400 BCE Arban 1, Russia View
RISE496 1416 BCE Arban 1, Russia View
RISE497 1400 BCE Arban 1, Russia View
RISE499 1400 BCE Bystrovka, Russia View
RISE500 1700 BCE Kytmanovo, Russia View
RISE502 1497 BCE Bystrovka, Russia View
RISE503 1731 BCE Kytmanovo, Russia View
RISE504 709 CE Kytmanovo, Russia View
RISE505 1862 BCE Kytmanovo, Russia View
RISE510 2848 BCE Bateni, Russia View
RISE511 2909 BCE Bateni, Russia View
RISE512 1488 BCE Kytmanovo, Russia View
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RISE524 1300 BCE Kapova cave, Russia View
RISE525 1300 BCE Kapova cave, Russia View
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RISE601 1000 BCE Verh-Uimon, Russia View
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RISE568 Early Slavic Culture of Bohemia 600 CE Brandýsek (Central Bohemian Region, Kladno District), Czechia View
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RISE577 Early Bronze Age Únětice Culture 2500 BCE Velké-Přílepy (Středočeský kraj, okres Praha-západ), Czechia View
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RISE596 Montenegrin Iron Age 800 BCE Velika Gruda, Montenegro View
Sample ID Culture/Period Date Location Action
RISE431 Corded Ware to Proto-Unetice Culture, Poland 2286 BCE Leki Male, Poland View
Ancient Genetic Admixture

Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (RISE431) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles ancient populations from different geographic regions.

European Hunter-Gatherers 48%
Western Steppe Pastoralists 39%
Neolithic Farmers 11%
Ancient Africans 2%
Modern Genetic Admixture

Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (RISE431) 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 90%
Northwestern European 61%
English 27.8%
Northwestern European 15.3%
Scandinavian 13.0%
Finnish 4.6%
Eastern European 21%
Eastern European 20.7%
Southern European 9%
Iberian 8.9%
Africa 6%
North African 4%
North African 4.0%
African Hunter-Gatherer 1%
African Hunter-Gatherer 1.3%
West African 0%
Asia 4%
Central Asian, Northern Indian & Pakistani 4%
Central Asian 4.0%
G25 Coordinates

The G25 coordinates for the sample RISE431 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.

RISE431,0.11849356,0.094765,0.0654349,0.05522854,0.02517574,0.00880988,0.00544328,0.01273934,0.00224822,-0.00837062,-0.00879696,-0.00183182,0.00145728,-0.00839956,0.00376162,-0.00195382,-0.00884634,0.00293984,-0.00417394,0.0022565,-0.00186438,0.00743906,-0.00533686,0.0112863,-0.00640424
Analyze it in G25 Studio
Scientific Papers References
Population genomics of Bronze Age Eurasia
Authors:
Allentoft ME, Sikora M, Sjögren KG
Abstract:

The Bronze Age of Eurasia (around 3000-1000 BC) was a period of major cultural changes. However, there is debate about whether these changes resulted from the circulation of ideas or from human migrations, potentially also facilitating the spread of languages and certain phenotypic traits. We investigated this by using new, improved methods to sequence low-coverage genomes from 101 ancient humans from across Eurasia. We show that the Bronze Age was a highly dynamic period involving large-scale population migrations and replacements, responsible for shaping major parts of present-day demographic structure in both Europe and Asia. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesized spread of Indo-European languages during the Early Bronze Age. We also demonstrate that light skin pigmentation in Europeans was already present at high frequency in the Bronze Age, but not lactose tolerance, indicating a more recent onset of positive selection on lactose tolerance than previously thought.

Link:
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