12-10-2023, 12:24 AM
Mass Graves of Únětice Culture New Discoveries from Roudnice nad Labem (Litoměřice District) and Chleby (Nymburk District) in the Czech Republic
https://www.arup.cas.cz/wp-content/uploa...AR_web.pdf
The subject of the article is the processing and genetic analysis of two mass graves of the Únětice culture from Roudnice nad Labem and Chleby and their possible interpretation. Both graves date to the early period of the Únětice culture and they deviate from the typical framework of this period’s burial rite primarily in the large number of identified buried individuals (18 and 15–18). A combined total of 15 individuals from both graves were subjected to DNA analysis (14 successfully) and the results were evaluated in the context of these graves possibly representing family tombs. However, based on the results of DNA analyses and identified biological kinship relationships, it was shown that in neither tomb did the buried individuals belong to a single biological family.
A combined total of 15 individuals (seven from Roudnice nad Labem and eight from Chleby) underwent aDNA analysis. An adequate amount of authentic endogenous human DNA was preserved on 14 of the 15 skeletons, enabling a sufficiently robust and reliable reconstruction of their genetic profile. Mitochondrial (U5, U2, K1, I4, H11, HV6 and H24) and Y-chromosomal (I2a2(3x), R1a-Z645(2x), R1b-P312) haplogroup diversity was typical for post-Neolithic Europeans, with increased Y-lineage diversity compared to preceding males of the Bohemian Bell Beaker cultural complex. Analysis of biological relatedness revealed closely related pairs of individuals in both multiple burials. In Roudnice nad Labem, three pairs of first-degree relatives and one pair of second-degree relatives were found. Chleby revealed three pairs of second-degree relatives and a relationship of approximately fifth-degree. In both graves, the majority of pair-wise comparisons (> 80%) were found to be between genetically unrelated (within 5th degree) individuals, challenging the hypothesis that these two mass graves represent single family mortuary contexts.
https://www.arup.cas.cz/wp-content/uploa...AR_web.pdf
The subject of the article is the processing and genetic analysis of two mass graves of the Únětice culture from Roudnice nad Labem and Chleby and their possible interpretation. Both graves date to the early period of the Únětice culture and they deviate from the typical framework of this period’s burial rite primarily in the large number of identified buried individuals (18 and 15–18). A combined total of 15 individuals from both graves were subjected to DNA analysis (14 successfully) and the results were evaluated in the context of these graves possibly representing family tombs. However, based on the results of DNA analyses and identified biological kinship relationships, it was shown that in neither tomb did the buried individuals belong to a single biological family.
A combined total of 15 individuals (seven from Roudnice nad Labem and eight from Chleby) underwent aDNA analysis. An adequate amount of authentic endogenous human DNA was preserved on 14 of the 15 skeletons, enabling a sufficiently robust and reliable reconstruction of their genetic profile. Mitochondrial (U5, U2, K1, I4, H11, HV6 and H24) and Y-chromosomal (I2a2(3x), R1a-Z645(2x), R1b-P312) haplogroup diversity was typical for post-Neolithic Europeans, with increased Y-lineage diversity compared to preceding males of the Bohemian Bell Beaker cultural complex. Analysis of biological relatedness revealed closely related pairs of individuals in both multiple burials. In Roudnice nad Labem, three pairs of first-degree relatives and one pair of second-degree relatives were found. Chleby revealed three pairs of second-degree relatives and a relationship of approximately fifth-degree. In both graves, the majority of pair-wise comparisons (> 80%) were found to be between genetically unrelated (within 5th degree) individuals, challenging the hypothesis that these two mass graves represent single family mortuary contexts.