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Large-scale migration into Britain during the Middle to Late Bronze Age

Author

Listed:
  • Nick Patterson

    (Harvard University
    Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard)

  • Michael Isakov

    (Harvard College)

  • Thomas Booth

    (Natural History Museum)

  • Lindsey Büster

    (University of York)

  • Claire-Elise Fischer

    (University of York)

  • Iñigo Olalde

    (Harvard Medical School
    University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
    Ikerbasque—Basque Foundation of Science)

  • Harald Ringbauer

    (Harvard University
    Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard)

  • Ali Akbari

    (Harvard University
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Olivia Cheronet

    (University of Vienna)

  • Madeleine Bleasdale

    (University of York)

  • Nicole Adamski

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Eveline Altena

    (Leiden University Medical Center)

  • Rebecca Bernardos

    (Harvard Medical School)

  • Selina Brace

    (Natural History Museum)

  • Nasreen Broomandkhoshbacht

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Kimberly Callan

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Francesca Candilio

    (Museo delle Civiltà)

  • Brendan Culleton

    (Pennsylvania State University)

  • Elizabeth Curtis

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Lea Demetz

    (University of Vienna)

  • Kellie Sara Duffett Carlson

    (University of Vienna)

  • Ceiridwen J. Edwards

    (University of Huddersfield)

  • Daniel M. Fernandes

    (University of Vienna
    University of Coimbra)

  • M. George B. Foody

    (University of Coimbra)

  • Suzanne Freilich

    (University of Vienna)

  • Helen Goodchild

    (University of York)

  • Aisling Kearns

    (Harvard Medical School)

  • Ann Marie Lawson

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Iosif Lazaridis

    (Harvard University
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Matthew Mah

    (Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
    Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Swapan Mallick

    (Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
    Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Kirsten Mandl

    (University of Vienna)

  • Adam Micco

    (Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Megan Michel

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Guillermo Bravo Morante

    (University of Vienna)

  • Jonas Oppenheimer

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Kadir Toykan Özdoğan

    (University of Vienna)

  • Lijun Qiu

    (Harvard Medical School)

  • Constanze Schattke

    (University of Vienna)

  • Kristin Stewardson

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • J. Noah Workman

    (Harvard Medical School)

  • Fatma Zalzala

    (Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

  • Zhao Zhang

    (Harvard Medical School)

  • Bibiana Agustí

    (INSITU S.C.P. Centelles)

  • Tim Allen

    (Oxford Archaeology)

  • Katalin Almássy

    (Městské Muzeum v Čelákovicích)

  • Luc Amkreutz

    (National Museum of Antiquities
    Leiden University)

  • Abigail Ash

    (Independent Researcher, Soham)

  • Christèle Baillif-Ducros

    (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives (INRAP))

  • Alistair Barclay

    (Cotswold Archaeology)

  • László Bartosiewicz

    (Stockholm University)

  • Katherine Baxter

    (Leeds Discovery Centre)

  • Zsolt Bernert

    (Hungarian Natural History Museum)

  • Jan Blažek

    (Institute of Preservation of Archaeological Heritage of Northwest Bohemia)

  • Mario Bodružić

    (Stratum Ltd)

  • Philippe Boissinot

    (TRACES, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales)

  • Clive Bonsall

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Pippa Bradley

    (Cotswold Archaeology)

  • Marcus Brittain

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Alison Brookes

    (Corinium Museum)

  • Fraser Brown

    (Oxford Archaeology)

  • Lisa Brown

    (Wiltshire Museum)

  • Richard Brunning

    (South West Heritage Trust, Somerset Heritage Centre)

  • Chelsea Budd

    (Umeå University)

  • Josip Burmaz

    (Kaducej Ltd)

  • Sylvain Canet

    (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives (INRAP))

  • Silvia Carnicero-Cáceres

    (Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses de Cantabria)

  • Morana Čaušević-Bully

    (Université de Franche Comté/UMR Chrono-Environnement)

  • Andrew Chamberlain

    (University of Manchester)

  • Sébastien Chauvin

    (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives (INRAP))

  • Sharon Clough

    (Cotswold Archaeology)

  • Natalija Čondić

    (Archaeological Museum Zadar)

  • Alfredo Coppa

    (Harvard Medical School
    University of Vienna
    University of Rome, La Sapienza)

  • Oliver Craig

    (University of York)

  • Matija Črešnar

    (Faculty of Arts
    Centre for Preventive Archaeology)

  • Vicki Cummings

    (University of Central Lancashire)

  • Szabolcs Czifra

    (Hungarian National Museum)

  • Alžběta Danielisová

    (Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague)

  • Robin Daniels

    (Tees Archaeology)

  • Alex Davies

    (Oxford Archaeology)

  • Philip Jersey

    (Guernsey Museums & Galleries)

  • Jody Deacon

    (Amgueddfa Cymru—National Museum Wales)

  • Csilla Deminger

    (Kuny Domokos Museum)

  • Peter W. Ditchfield

    (University of Oxford)

  • Marko Dizdar

    (Institute of Archaeology)

  • Miroslav Dobeš

    (Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague)

  • Miluše Dobisíková

    (The National Museum, Prague)

  • László Domboróczki

    (Dobó István Castle Museum)

  • Gail Drinkall

    (The Orkney Museum)

  • Ana Đukić

    (Archaeological Museum in Zagreb)

  • Michal Ernée

    (Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague)

  • Christopher Evans

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Jane Evans

    (Keyworth Nottingham)

  • Manuel Fernández-Götz

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Slavica Filipović

    (Archaeological Museum Osijek)

  • Andrew Fitzpatrick

    (University of Leicester)

  • Harry Fokkens

    (Leiden University)

  • Chris Fowler

    (Newcastle University)

  • Allison Fox

    (Manx National Heritage, Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin, Manx Museum)

  • Zsolt Gallina

    (Ásatárs Ltd)

  • Michelle Gamble

    (Heritage and Archaeological Research Practice (HARP))

  • Manuel R. González Morales

    (Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria)

  • Borja González-Rabanal

    (Universidad de Cantabria)

  • Adrian Green

    (The Salisbury Museum)

  • Katalin Gyenesei

    (Eötvös Loránd University)

  • Diederick Habermehl

    (VU University)

  • Tamás Hajdu

    (Hungarian Natural History Museum
    Eötvös Loránd University)

  • Derek Hamilton

    (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC))

  • James Harris

    (Corinium Museum)

  • Chris Hayden

    (Oxford Archaeology)

  • Joep Hendriks

    (Gemeente Nijmegen)

  • Bénédicte Hernu

    (Musée Saint-Remi, Ville de Reims)

  • Gill Hey

    (Oxford Archaeology)

  • Milan Horňák

    (Faculty of Arts)

  • Gábor Ilon

    (Independent Researcher)

  • Eszter Istvánovits

    (Jósa András Museum)

  • Andy M. Jones

    (Cornwall Archaeology Unit)

  • Martina Blečić Kavur

    (University of Primorska)

  • Kevin Kazek

    (Musée de La Cour d’Or)

  • Robert A. Kenyon

    (East Dorset Antiquarian Society (EDAS))

  • Amal Khreisheh

    (South West Heritage Trust, Somerset Heritage Centre)

  • Viktória Kiss

    (Eötvös Loránd Research Network)

  • Jos Kleijne

    (Groningen University)

  • Mark Knight

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Lisette M. Kootker

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Péter F. Kovács

    (Damjanich János Museum)

  • Anita Kozubová

    (Archaeological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences)

  • Gabriella Kulcsár

    (Eötvös Loránd Research Network)

  • Valéria Kulcsár

    (University of Szeged, Faculty of Arts, Department of Archaeology)

  • Christophe Pennec

    (Musee d’Histoire et d’Archeologie)

  • Michael Legge

    (Cardiff University)

  • Matt Leivers

    (Wessex Archaeology)

  • Louise Loe

    (Oxford Archaeology)

  • Olalla López-Costas

    (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)

  • Tom Lord

    (Lower Winskill Farm)

  • Dženi Los

    (Kaducej Ltd)

  • James Lyall

    (Geophiz.biz)

  • Ana B. Marín-Arroyo

    (Universidad de Cantabria)

  • Philip Mason

    (Centre for Preventive Archaeology)

  • Damir Matošević

    (Zavičajni Muzej Grada Rovinja)

  • Andy Maxted

    (Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust)

  • Lauren McIntyre

    (Oxford Archaeology)

  • Jacqueline McKinley

    (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)

  • Kathleen McSweeney

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Bernard Meijlink

    (Walcherse Archeologische Dienst)

  • Balázs G. Mende

    (Eötvös Loránd Research Network)

  • Marko Menđušić

    (Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia)

  • Milan Metlička

    (Museum of West Bohemia, Department of Prehistory)

  • Sophie Meyer

    (Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro)

  • Kristina Mihovilić

    (Archaeological Museum of Istria)

  • Lidija Milasinovic

    (National Museum of Kikinda)

  • Steve Minnitt

    (South West Heritage Trust, Somerset Heritage Centre)

  • Joanna Moore

    (Durham University)

  • Geoff Morley

    (Courtwood House)

  • Graham Mullan

    (University of Bristol Spelaeological Society)

  • Margaréta Musilová

    (Municipal Monument Preservation Institute Bratislava)

  • Benjamin Neil

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Rebecca Nicholls

    (University of Bradford)

  • Mario Novak

    (Institute for Anthropological Research)

  • Maria Pala

    (University of Coimbra)

  • Martin Papworth

    (Dorset & Wiltshire)

  • Cécile Paresys

    (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives (INRAP))

  • Ricky Patten

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Domagoj Perkić

    (Archaeological Museum, Dubrovnik Museums)

  • Krisztina Pesti

    (Rómer Flóris Museum of Art and History)

  • Alba Petit

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra)

  • Katarína Petriščáková

    (The City of Prague Museum)

  • Coline Pichon

    (Musée Le Vergeur)

  • Catriona Pickard

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Zoltán Pilling

    (Independent researcher)

  • T. Douglas Price

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Siniša Radović

    (Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts)

  • Rebecca Redfern

    (Museum of London)

  • Branislav Resutík

    (Municipal Monument Preservation Institute Bratislava)

  • Daniel T. Rhodes

    (Hermiston Quay)

  • Martin B. Richards

    (University of Coimbra)

  • Amy Roberts

    (The Novium Museum)

  • Jean Roefstra

    (Provinciaal Archeologisch Depot Noord-Holland)

  • Pavel Sankot

    (The National Museum, Prague)

  • Alena Šefčáková

    (Slovak National Museum—Natural History Museum)

  • Alison Sheridan

    (National Museums Scotland)

  • Sabine Skae

    (The Dock Museum)

  • Miroslava Šmolíková

    (The City of Prague Museum)

  • Krisztina Somogyi

    (Rippl-Rónai Museum)

  • Ágnes Somogyvári

    (Katona József Museum Hungary)

  • Mark Stephens

    (MAP Archaeological Practice)

  • Géza Szabó

    (Wosinsky Mór Museum)

  • Anna Szécsényi-Nagy

    (Eötvös Loránd Research Network)

  • Tamás Szeniczey

    (Hungarian Natural History Museum
    Eötvös Loránd University)

  • Jonathan Tabor

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Károly Tankó

    (Eötvös Loránd University)

  • Clenis Tavarez Maria

    (Museo del Hombre Dominicano)

  • Rachel Terry

    (Craven Museum and Gallery)

  • Biba Teržan

    (Faculty of Arts)

  • Maria Teschler-Nicola

    (University of Vienna
    Natural History Museum Vienna)

  • Jesús F. Torres-Martínez

    (Instituto Monte Bernorio de Estudios de la Antigüedad del Cantábrico (IMBEAC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Geografía e Historia, Departamento de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y Arqueología)

  • Julien Trapp

    (Musée de La Cour d’Or)

  • Ross Turle

    (Hampshire Cultural Trust)

  • Ferenc Ujvári

    (Rómer Flóris Museum of Art and History)

  • Menno Heiden

    (Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed)

  • Petr Veleminsky

    (The National Museum, Prague)

  • Barbara Veselka

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

  • Zdeněk Vytlačil

    (The National Museum, Prague)

  • Clive Waddington

    (Archaeological Research Services)

  • Paula Ware

    (MAP Archaeological Practice)

  • Paul Wilkinson

    (Swale and Thames Archaeological Survey Company)

  • Linda Wilson

    (University of Bristol Spelaeological Society)

  • Rob Wiseman

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Eilidh Young

    (Keswick Museum)

  • Joško Zaninović

    (Krka National Park)

  • Andrej Žitňan

    (AA AVALA s.r.o.)

  • Carles Lalueza-Fox

    (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra)

  • Peter Knijff

    (Leiden University Medical Center)

  • Ian Barnes

    (Natural History Museum)

  • Peter Halkon

    (University of Hull)

  • Mark G. Thomas

    (University College London)

  • Douglas J. Kennett

    (University of California)

  • Barry Cunliffe

    (University of Oxford)

  • Malcolm Lillie

    (Umeå University
    University of Hull)

  • Nadin Rohland

    (Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Ron Pinhasi

    (University of Vienna
    University of Vienna)

  • Ian Armit

    (University of York)

  • David Reich

    (Harvard University
    Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
    Harvard Medical School
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

Abstract

Present-day people from England and Wales have more ancestry derived from early European farmers (EEF) than did people of the Early Bronze Age1. To understand this, here we generated genome-wide data from 793 individuals, increasing data from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age in Britain by 12-fold, and western and central Europe by 3.5-fold. Between 1000 and 875 bc, EEF ancestry increased in southern Britain (England and Wales) but not northern Britain (Scotland) due to incorporation of migrants who arrived at this time and over previous centuries, and who were genetically most similar to ancient individuals from France. These migrants contributed about half the ancestry of people of England and Wales from the Iron Age, thereby creating a plausible vector for the spread of early Celtic languages into Britain. These patterns are part of a broader trend of EEF ancestry becoming more similar across central and western Europe in the Middle to the Late Bronze Age, coincident with archaeological evidence of intensified cultural exchange2–6. There was comparatively less gene flow from continental Europe during the Iron Age, and the independent genetic trajectory in Britain is also reflected in the rise of the allele conferring lactase persistence to approximately 50% by this time compared to approximately 7% in central Europe where it rose rapidly in frequency only a millennium later. This suggests that dairy products were used in qualitatively different ways in Britain and in central Europe over this period.

Suggested Citation

  • Nick Patterson & Michael Isakov & Thomas Booth & Lindsey Büster & Claire-Elise Fischer & Iñigo Olalde & Harald Ringbauer & Ali Akbari & Olivia Cheronet & Madeleine Bleasdale & Nicole Adamski & Eveline, 2022. "Large-scale migration into Britain during the Middle to Late Bronze Age," Nature, Nature, vol. 601(7894), pages 588-594, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:601:y:2022:i:7894:d:10.1038_s41586-021-04287-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04287-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Javier G. Serrano & Alejandra C. Ordóñez & Jonathan Santana & Elías Sánchez-Cañadillas & Matilde Arnay & Amelia Rodríguez-Rodríguez & Jacob Morales & Javier Velasco-Vázquez & Verónica Alberto-Barroso , 2023. "The genomic history of the indigenous people of the Canary Islands," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

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