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100 ancient genomes show repeated population turnovers in Neolithic Denmark

Author

Listed:
  • Morten E. Allentoft

    (University of Copenhagen
    Curtin University)

  • Martin Sikora

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Anders Fischer

    (Kiel University
    Sealand Archaeology)

  • Karl-Göran Sjögren

    (Gothenburg University)

  • Andrés Ingason

    (University of Copenhagen
    Copenhagen University Hospital)

  • Ruairidh Macleod

    (University of Copenhagen
    University of Cambridge
    University College London)

  • Anders Rosengren

    (University of Copenhagen
    Copenhagen University Hospital)

  • Bettina Schulz Paulsson

    (Kiel University)

  • Marie Louise Schjellerup Jørkov

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Maria Novosolov

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Jesper Stenderup

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • T. Douglas Price

    (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Morten Fischer Mortensen

    (The National Museum of Denmark)

  • Anne Birgitte Nielsen

    (Lund University)

  • Mikkel Ulfeldt Hede

    (Tårnby Gymnasium og HF)

  • Lasse Sørensen

    (The National Museum of Denmark)

  • Poul Otto Nielsen

    (The National Museum of Denmark)

  • Peter Rasmussen

    (The National Museum of Denmark)

  • Theis Zetner Trolle Jensen

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Alba Refoyo-Martínez

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Evan K. Irving-Pease

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • William Barrie

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Alice Pearson

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Bárbara Sousa da Mota

    (University of Lausanne
    University of Lausanne)

  • Fabrice Demeter

    (University of Copenhagen
    Université Paris Cité, Musée de l’Homme)

  • Rasmus A. Henriksen

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Tharsika Vimala

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Hugh McColl

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Andrew Vaughn

    (University of California)

  • Lasse Vinner

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Gabriel Renaud

    (Technical University of Denmark)

  • Aaron Stern

    (University of California)

  • Niels Nørkjær Johannsen

    (Aarhus University)

  • Abigail Daisy Ramsøe

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Andrew Joseph Schork

    (University of Copenhagen
    The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGEN))

  • Anthony Ruter

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Anne Birgitte Gotfredsen

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Bjarne Henning Nielsen

    (Vesthimmerlands Museum)

  • Erik Brinch Petersen

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Esben Kannegaard

    (Museum Østjylland)

  • Jesper Hansen

    (Svendborg Museum)

  • Kristoffer Buck Pedersen

    (Museum Sydøstdanmark)

  • Lisbeth Pedersen

    (HistorieUdvikler)

  • Lutz Klassen

    (Museum Østjylland)

  • Morten Meldgaard

    (University of Copenhagen
    University of Greenland)

  • Morten Johansen

    (The Viking Ship Museum)

  • Otto Christian Uldum

    (The Viking Ship Museum)

  • Per Lotz

    (Museum Nordsjælland
    Museum Vestsjælland)

  • Per Lysdahl

    (Vendsyssel Historiske Museum)

  • Pernille Bangsgaard

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Peter Vang Petersen

    (The National Museum of Denmark)

  • Rikke Maring

    (Aarhus University
    Museum Østjylland)

  • Rune Iversen

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Sidsel Wåhlin

    (Vendsyssel Historiske Museum)

  • Søren Anker Sørensen

    (Museum Nordsjælland)

  • Søren H. Andersen

    (Moesgaard Museum)

  • Thomas Jørgensen

    (Museum Nordsjælland)

  • Niels Lynnerup

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Daniel J. Lawson

    (University of Bristol)

  • Simon Rasmussen

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Thorfinn Sand Korneliussen

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Kurt H. Kjær

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Richard Durbin

    (University of Cambridge
    Wellcome Trust Genome Campus)

  • Rasmus Nielsen

    (University of Copenhagen
    UC Berkeley)

  • Olivier Delaneau

    (University of Lausanne
    University of Lausanne)

  • Thomas Werge

    (University of Copenhagen
    Copenhagen University Hospital
    University of Copenhagen)

  • Kristian Kristiansen

    (University of Copenhagen
    Gothenburg University)

  • Eske Willerslev

    (University of Copenhagen
    University of Cambridge
    University of Bremen)

Abstract

Major migration events in Holocene Eurasia have been characterized genetically at broad regional scales1–4. However, insights into the population dynamics in the contact zones are hampered by a lack of ancient genomic data sampled at high spatiotemporal resolution5–7. Here, to address this, we analysed shotgun-sequenced genomes from 100 skeletons spanning 7,300 years of the Mesolithic period, Neolithic period and Early Bronze Age in Denmark and integrated these with proxies for diet (13C and 15N content), mobility (87Sr/86Sr ratio) and vegetation cover (pollen). We observe that Danish Mesolithic individuals of the Maglemose, Kongemose and Ertebølle cultures form a distinct genetic cluster related to other Western European hunter-gatherers. Despite shifts in material culture they displayed genetic homogeneity from around 10,500 to 5,900 calibrated years before present, when Neolithic farmers with Anatolian-derived ancestry arrived. Although the Neolithic transition was delayed by more than a millennium relative to Central Europe, it was very abrupt and resulted in a population turnover with limited genetic contribution from local hunter-gatherers. The succeeding Neolithic population, associated with the Funnel Beaker culture, persisted for only about 1,000 years before immigrants with eastern Steppe-derived ancestry arrived. This second and equally rapid population replacement gave rise to the Single Grave culture with an ancestry profile more similar to present-day Danes. In our multiproxy dataset, these major demographic events are manifested as parallel shifts in genotype, phenotype, diet and land use.

Suggested Citation

  • Morten E. Allentoft & Martin Sikora & Anders Fischer & Karl-Göran Sjögren & Andrés Ingason & Ruairidh Macleod & Anders Rosengren & Bettina Schulz Paulsson & Marie Louise Schjellerup Jørkov & Maria Nov, 2024. "100 ancient genomes show repeated population turnovers in Neolithic Denmark," Nature, Nature, vol. 625(7994), pages 329-337, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:625:y:2024:i:7994:d:10.1038_s41586-023-06862-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06862-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Joaquim Fort & Joaquim Pérez-Losada, 2024. "Interbreeding between farmers and hunter-gatherers along the inland and Mediterranean routes of Neolithic spread in Europe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.

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