06-02-2024, 10:41 PM
Burial of two closely related infants under a “dragon stone” from prehistoric Armenia
Arsen Bobokhyan et al
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Volume 57, September 2024, 104601
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar...9X24002293
Dragon1Fem U5a1a1 1 73G 263G 750G 1438G 1700C 2706G 3197C 4769G 5495C 7028T 8860G 9477A 11467G 11719A 12308G 12372A 13617C 14766T 14793G 15218G 15326G 15924G 16192T! 16256T 16270T 16399G
The mitochondrial sequences of both individuals were identical and belonged to the haplogroup U5a1a1 maternal lineage (Table S3). Among the ancient samples this mtDNA lineage is found in e.g. an Iron Age sample from Finland (DA234 (Sikora et al., 2019)); two Early Bronze Age Yamnaya individuals (SVP50 and SVP52 (Haak et al., 2015)); Bronze Age individual from Latvia (Kivutkalns153 (Mittnik et al., 2018)); Iron Age Germany (I12 (O'Sullivan et al., 2018)); Iron Age Finland (JK1968 and JK1970 (Lamnidis et al., 2018)); Afanasievo individual from Russia (RISE507) and Bell Beaker individual from Germany (RISE560) (Allentoft et al., 2015); Scythian individual from Moldova (SCY197 (Juras et al., 2017)).
6. Conclusions
In the 16th century BC, a three and half meter high stela of basalt with an image of sacrificed bovid was put on a barrow in Lchashen, in a plateau overlooking Lake Sevan, in present-day Armenia. The pit of the burial contained archaeological material as well as human bones of an adult (supposedly female) and two newborns at the age of 0 to 2 months. Nearly identical bone sizes of those children implied the possibility of a twin burial. This primary assumption was tested by ancient DNA analyses, which showed that the two female individuals were second-degree related and display genetic ancestry profiles similar to that of other Bronze Age individuals from the South Caucasus. Archaeologically, second-degree related infants (possibly half-siblings) have never been attested2: in this context, the case of Lchashen seems to be of special interest. We argue that the reason for placing such an impressive monument on the burial of two newborns is that they were considered extraordinary.
Arsen Bobokhyan et al
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Volume 57, September 2024, 104601
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar...9X24002293
Quote: Abstract
“Dragon stones” are prehistoric basalt stelae carved with animal imagery found in Armenia and surrounding regions. These monuments have a complex history of use and reuse across millennia, and the original date of creation is still a matter of debate. In this article, we present a unique dragon stone context excavated at the site of Lchashen, Armenia, where a three-and-a-half-meter high basalt stela with an image of a sacrificed bovid was found above a burial dating to the 16th century BC. The burial stands out among hundreds from this site as the only one in connection with a “dragon stone”, and one of very few containing the remains of newborn babies. Furthermore, our analyses of ancient DNA extracted from the well-preserved skeletal remains of two 0–2-month-old individuals showed them to be second-degree related females with identical mitochondrial sequences of the haplogroup U5a1a1 lineage, thus indicating that the infants are closely related. Additionally, we assessed that the buried individuals displayed genetic ancestry profiles similar to other Bronze Age individuals from the region.
Dragon1Fem U5a1a1 1 73G 263G 750G 1438G 1700C 2706G 3197C 4769G 5495C 7028T 8860G 9477A 11467G 11719A 12308G 12372A 13617C 14766T 14793G 15218G 15326G 15924G 16192T! 16256T 16270T 16399G
The mitochondrial sequences of both individuals were identical and belonged to the haplogroup U5a1a1 maternal lineage (Table S3). Among the ancient samples this mtDNA lineage is found in e.g. an Iron Age sample from Finland (DA234 (Sikora et al., 2019)); two Early Bronze Age Yamnaya individuals (SVP50 and SVP52 (Haak et al., 2015)); Bronze Age individual from Latvia (Kivutkalns153 (Mittnik et al., 2018)); Iron Age Germany (I12 (O'Sullivan et al., 2018)); Iron Age Finland (JK1968 and JK1970 (Lamnidis et al., 2018)); Afanasievo individual from Russia (RISE507) and Bell Beaker individual from Germany (RISE560) (Allentoft et al., 2015); Scythian individual from Moldova (SCY197 (Juras et al., 2017)).
6. Conclusions
In the 16th century BC, a three and half meter high stela of basalt with an image of sacrificed bovid was put on a barrow in Lchashen, in a plateau overlooking Lake Sevan, in present-day Armenia. The pit of the burial contained archaeological material as well as human bones of an adult (supposedly female) and two newborns at the age of 0 to 2 months. Nearly identical bone sizes of those children implied the possibility of a twin burial. This primary assumption was tested by ancient DNA analyses, which showed that the two female individuals were second-degree related and display genetic ancestry profiles similar to that of other Bronze Age individuals from the South Caucasus. Archaeologically, second-degree related infants (possibly half-siblings) have never been attested2: in this context, the case of Lchashen seems to be of special interest. We argue that the reason for placing such an impressive monument on the burial of two newborns is that they were considered extraordinary.