Latest news with #Neolithic
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Researchers sequence whole genome of ancient Egyptian for the first time
Researchers have sequenced the first whole ancient Egyptian genome from an individual who lived 4,500 to 4,800 years ago — the oldest DNA sample from Egypt to date. The body belongs to an adult male who died more than 4,500 years ago during Egypt's Old Kingdom. The individual was 'genetically male (XY sex chromosomes), consistent with the expression of standard skeletal features'. The ancient Egyptian individual is predicted to have had brown eyes, brown hair, and skin pigmentation ranging from dark to black skin with a lower probability of an intermediate skin colour. As per the osteological examination, the man was 157.4-160.5 cm tall, and lived up to the age of 44-64 years. His age at the time of dying is based on the evidence of heavily worn teeth and age-related osteoarthritis in most joints and vertebrae. The results were published on July 2 in the journal Nature. 'Direct radiocarbon dating of the remains aligns with the archaeological context corresponding to the third to fourth dynasties, marking the beginning of the Old Kingdom,' Adeline Morez Jacobs from the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, the U.K., and the first author of the paper, said during a virtual press conference. The body was discovered in the early 20th century, buried in a large ceramic pot within a rock-cut tomb at a site named Nuwayrat, a village 265 km south of Cairo. The burial type and physical remains of the individual indicate that the man was relatively well-off socioeconomically but also lived a life of hard labour. Insights into ancestry Genetic results showed that a majority of his ancestry, about 78%, hailed from ancient North African populations, specifically from Neolithic groups from present-day Morocco. However, the most fascinating result is that about 22% of his DNA is a close match to early farmers from Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq, western Iran, southern Syria, southeast Turkiye), one of the eastern Fertile Crescent. 'This implies that individuals from these regions were not just exchanging goods with Egypt but might even have migrated and interacted with local people long before the construction of the pyramids,' Niraj Rai from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, who is not part of the study, said. Nearly 20% of the genetic makeup of the individual suggests historical cultural exchanges and interactions between Egyptian and Eastern Fertile Crescent, according to Dr. Jacobs. 'The relationships between Egyptian and Eastern Fertile Crescent cultures extended back over 10,000 years, influencing practices in animal farming and trade of precious goods, leading to the emergence of writing systems in both regions,' she said. Though the Neolithic Mesopotamian connection is evident, the authors are quick to point out that this heritage may not have been direct. 'Perhaps the genes were transferred over time through other ancient Levantine populations (modern-day Israel, Jordan, and Syria),' Dr. Rai explained. 'Nevertheless, the DNA offers the first direct biological proof that Egypt's early populace was not only influenced by local traditions but also by far-ranging interactions that bridged continents.' Although the results are based on a single Egyptian genome, they 'mirror another study that found evidence of gene flow from the Mesopotamian and Zagros regions into surrounding areas, including Anatolia, during the Neolithic', the authors said. The genome data, together with archaeological evidence, supports a possible wider cultural and demographic expansion originating in the Mesopotamian region, which reached both Egypt and Anatolia during this period. DNA well-preserved DNA was successfully extracted from the individual's teeth. Previously, only three ancient Egyptian genetic datasets were available from later periods —787 cal. BCE to 23 cal. CE. Despite the relatively recent age, these have not yielded complete genome sequences but are limited to about 90,000-4,00,000 target-enriched genotypes. The genome of the ancient Egyptian is said to be the most complete and oldest from Ancient Egypt. According to the authors, one possible explanation for the successful retrieval of the whole-genome, despite the man dying more than 4,500 years ago, is the pot burial. His burial took place before artificial mummification was standard practice. 'We hypothesised that a combination of pot burial together with a rock-cut tomb in which the pot burial was placed provided a stable environment. While the overall climate is hot, a key factor for long-term DNA preservation is the stability of the temperature,' Linus Girdland-Flink from the Liverpool John Moores University, one of the corresponding authors, said during the virtual press conference. 'Also, we took DNA samples from the teeth root tips. The root tips get locked into the lower jaw, which might have helped preserve the DNA. That kind of dental tissue is very good for DNA preservation,' Dr. Girdland-Flink said. 'It is extremely unusual to find DNA evidence, particularly in a warm country such as Egypt. To date, no whole genome from this region and time period has ever been retrieved,' Dr. Rai said. 'Indeed, most ancient DNA analyses are derived from colder locations such as Europe and Siberia, where preservation is in higher percentage. Worldwide, the oldest modern human genome ever sequenced belonged to an individual from Siberia around 45,000 years ago. In India, ancient DNA research remains on the horizon, but the oldest samples that have been sequenced until now, such as at the Harappan site Rakhigarhi, are roughly 4,000 years old, and of considerably poorer preservation.'
The Hindu
a day ago
- Science
- The Hindu
New evidence of a matrilineal society in neolithic China
Evidence from two Neolithic cemeteries on China's eastern coast, reported recently by researchers at Peking University in Beijing in Nature, showed that some communities were organised in matrilineal clans 4,750-4,500 years ago. Scientists are still debating whether any early human societies were matrilineal. Numerous genetic studies have concluded ancient societies were patriarchal. Some of the rare exceptions include the Chaco Canyon dynasty in North America (800-1300 BC) and some Celtic communities in Germany (616-200 BC). The new evidence came from analysing skeletal remains retrieved from cemeteries used for around 250 years, spanning at least 10 generations. The findings challenge scientists' assumptions about traditional societies. Most of an individual's genome (DNA) is inherited equally from each parent. But around 0.0005% is inherited only from the mother. This is the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Sperm cells don't normally transmit mitochondria. The non-mtDNA is located in the cell's nucleus. Nuclear DNA contains two genome sets and is organised in 23 pairs of chromosomes. One chromosome of each pair is inherited via the father's sperm and the other via the mother's egg. The sex chromosomes, X and Y, define one pair. Both males and females inherit an X chromosome from the mother. Females receive their second X from the father, whereas males receive the Y chromosome that carries the maleness-determining gene. The Y chromosome carries about 1% of the nuclear DNA. Since the Y is transmitted by a father to all of his sons, it is patrilineally inherited. Thus, sequence information from mtDNA and Y-chromosome is used to trace maternal and paternal lineages, respectively. Isotope ratios The researchers found all individuals buried in each cemetery had the same mtDNA but the mtDNA in the two cemeteries was different. In contrast, the Y chromosomes recovered from the male remains were diverse, meaning in each cemetery the burials were determined solely by matrilineal affinity. Analyses of the rest of the genome revealed frequent intermarriages between relatively distantly related individuals across the two matrilineal clans, such as second or third cousins. Two particular individuals interred in different cemeteries, N01 and S32, were a paternal aunt-nephew pair or a niece-paternal uncle pair. Their mtDNA was consistent with where they were buried. This adherence to matrilineal burial was also evident in two pairs of first-cousins. Each geographical locale has a characteristic ratio of the 87Sr isotope to that of the 86Sr isotope, depending on the mineral composition of the local soil. The ratio in teeth indicates the individual's childhood location while that in bones their adulthood location. If the ratios in teeth and bone differ, the individual may have migrated. The bones and teeth of the remains had the same Sr ratio as local wild plants, meaning the individuals were born and resided throughout their lives in the same geography. Similarly, the ratio of carbon isotopes 13C to 12C indicated a diet dominated by corn, sorghum, millet, sugarcane and switch-grass. The researchers concluded the population practiced millet-based agriculture and raised pigs for meat. Males and females had the same diet. The findings exemplify how anthropology and archaeology are furthered by studying genomes and isotopes. Agriculture, animal domestication, and settled communities began in the Neolithic period. That cemeteries from this time were organised around matrilineal clans suggests the existence of a matrilineal society in early human history. D.P. Kasbekar is a retired scientist.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Archeologists make surprising discovery at hidden ancient city site
Archeologists have unearthed additional evidence that women, not men, ruled an ancient city in Turkey which has been buried for thousands of years. The discovery could rewrite what we know about the earliest days of civilization and about gender roles throughout history, experts say. In a landmark study published in journal Science, researchers analyzing ancient DNA from nearly 400 skeletons at Catalhoyuk, a remarkably well-preserved Neolithic settlement in southern Turkey, revealed powerful clues that this early civilization operated under a matriarchal system. The settlement, a warren of mudbrick homes and goddess-like statues dating back to 7100 BCE, has long been a source of mystery and wonder. Experts have long suspected that women and girls were key figures in this agricultural society. But DNA analysis now confirms that women were buried with far more grave goods than men - and that daughters stayed with their maternal households, while sons often left. The astonishing find has electrified the archeological world, challenging generations of assumptions about who held power in humanity's earliest cities and suggesting that the world's first great urban cultures may have rested on the shoulders of women. The vast settlement - spread over 32.5 acres (13.2 hectares) - was already known for its sprawling homes, elaborate art, and mysterious goddess-like figurines. Now, the latest genetic evidence has provided clues that women were not only the spiritual symbols of Catalhoyuk but may have been its true rulers. In a painstaking investigation spanning more than a decade, a team of geneticists, archeologists, and biological anthropologists extracted DNA from the skeletons of over 130 people buried beneath the floors of 35 separate houses at the site. In total, nearly 400 individuals have been recovered in graves at Catalhoyuk, a city once bustling with life for more than a thousand years. What they found was extraordinary: a strong genetic pattern showing maternal connections within the buildings. Women and their daughters were consistently buried together, while men seemed to arrive from outside, suggesting they married into the households of their wives. Researchers believe that as many as 70 to 100 per cent of female offspring stayed attached to their maternal homes across generations, while males moved away. And the evidence of women's elevated status does not end there. Grave goods such as precious ornaments, tools, and other offerings were found five times more often in female burials than in male ones, a clear sign of preferential treatment and status in death that mirrored social power in life. Dr. Eline Schotsmans, a co-author of the study and research fellow at the University of Wollongong's School of Science in Australia, urged modern audiences to rethink outdated assumptions about ancient gender roles. The idea that a Neolithic city could have been matriarchal is not new in myth or folklore. Catalhoyuk's iconic clay statues depicting rounded, powerful female figures have long teased the possibility of a society with women at the helm. But this new DNA evidence offers the first scientifically grounded window into how such a social structure might have worked in practice. Benjamin Arbuckle, an archeologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who was not involved in the study, wrote in a perspective in Science that 'if the sex patterns were reversed, there would likely be little hesitation in concluding that patriarchal power structures were at play.' 'This is reflective of the difficulty that many scholars have in imagining a world characterized by substantial female power despite abundant archeological, historic, and ethnographic evidence that matriarchal fields of power were and are widespread,' he added.
India.com
3 days ago
- India.com
Adventure Awaits With 7 Best Trekking Places In Wayanad You Can't Miss
Set amidst Kerala's Western Ghats, Wayanad is a verdant place that serves as a home for both nature lovers and adventure seekers. It is famous for its green jungles, varied wildlife and stunning landscapes making it a perfect hub for trekkers of all skills right from beginners to the experienced ones. Here is a list of wonderful trekking places in Wayanad, India. 1. Chembra Peak At the highest peak in Wayanad which stands at an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level is Chembra Peak. The trip to the peak does not just involve reaching it but also give you a chance to have an experience with the beauty of Western Ghats .A trek highlight would be amazing sight of heart shapped lake on your way known as Chempra Lake. 2. Banasura Hill Among other attractions, Banasura Hill has got hills trekking across dense forests and meandering streams around the Banasura Sagar dam site. The photographers are rewarded with panoramic view across surrounding valleys and turquoise fresh water reservoirs such as Banasura Sagar Lake. 3. Thusharagiri Waterfalls Amidst verdant greens lies a series of cascading waterfalls called Thusharagiri which means snow-capped mountains in English language. In this Thusharagiri trail one walks through rubber plantations, spices or areca nut gardens hence it's quite unique among such kind of treks available sound and sight of water rushing in this beautiful surroundings makes it a hiker's paradise. 4. Pakshipathalam Pakshipathalam is ideal for those who love adventure as well as wild life within Brahmagiri Hills,this destination for hiking is famous because of rare species of birds and hike includes trekking through dense forests until they get to Pakshipathalam that is famous for its scenic beauty. 5. Edakkal Caves The Edakkal caves are a time journey as ancient caverns that were carved out by the Neolithic people containing petroglyphs in their walls. The path leading up to them is relatively easy and takes you through rocky terrain as well as lush green forests which exposes one to snippets of the region's past or cultural heritage. 6. Meenmutty Waterfalls One of the most stunning and biggest waterfalls in Wayanad is Meenmutty WATERFALLS. For the waterfall lovers, a travel to this site is an experience full of challenge but at the same time full of joy where they have to go through a rocky way and dense forest along with that sightseeing in which a waterfall falls from such heights are truly amazing for people like me. Conclusion Trekking in Wayanad is one of the many things that you can do there because it is rich in biodiversity with beautiful landscapes thus giving every adventure seeker something to do. If your thing is conquering high mountains or walking through quiet forests then look no further than this magnificent place – Wayanad. Besides natural beauty, every single destination offers an insight into cultural background and history of this part of India which makes each trip not only about exploring wild nature but also learning more about this majestic region's past therefore make sure you pack your bags putting on hiking shoes so as to have an incredible journey along these beautiful paths in Wayanad.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Catalhoyuk: 9,000-year-old city ruled by women, DNA reveals story of matriarchal civilization
In a recent study published in Science, researchers have uncovered genetic evidence suggesting that Catalhoyuk , one of the oldest and best-preserved Neolithic settlements located in southern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), was likely a matriarchal society. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now DNA analysis of over 130 skeletons buried beneath the city's mudbrick houses reveals a strong pattern of maternal lineage shaping family and social organisation. Women remained in their households across generations, while men often married in. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about early human societies and highlight the powerful role of women in shaping prehistoric civilisation. Women at the centre: genetic evidence of female-led households At Catalhoyuk, more than 395 skeletons were discovered beneath the floors of 35 houses, dating from around 9000 to 8000 BCE. Using cutting-edge DNA sequencing, researchers found that in the early phases of the city, family members, often genetically related, were buried together. Over time, however, the burials showed fewer biological ties, except when tracing through the maternal line. This matrilineal pattern indicates that women were the anchors of each household, while men likely moved in after marriage. Female descendants were more likely to stay connected to their ancestral homes, which is a key sign of matrilocal living. The study also revealed a striking difference in how men and women were treated after death. Graves belonging to women were found to contain five times more goods than those of men, suggesting not only reverence but possibly elevated social roles. Combined with the discovery of numerous female figurines, believed to be representations of a 'Mother Goddess,' the findings point to a society that revered women both spiritually and socially. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Rethinking ancient power structures Researchers believe these revelations urge us to rethink assumptions rooted in modern, often Western, frameworks of patrilineal dominance. Study co-author Dr. Eline Schotsmans highlighted that many ancient and Indigenous cultures have operated through matrilineal systems, where identity, land, and lineage are passed through the mother's line. Catalhoyuk now joins a growing list of ancient societies , including late Iron Age communities in Britain, where women may have held significant control over property, kinship, and identity. These insights not only reshape our view of gender roles in prehistory but also illuminate the diverse ways in which human societies have been organised across millennia.
