Section 1.1: The Role of Ancient DNA

Despite not being an expert in archaeology, I find it intriguing how ancient DNA serves as a remarkable tool to investigate potential familial connections and trace geographical migrations over time. Generally, the preservation of DNA diminishes the further back one goes in history, except in rare circumstances. Notably, genetic material from the Homo genus has been identified, dating as far back as 400,000 years.

A significant number of individuals, over 120, have been unearthed, and ancient DNA was retrieved from burial sites in France, indicating that many may have a common ancestor. The reconstruction of genealogies from early agricultural societies is particularly captivating. For instance, at Gurgy ‘Les Noisats’, located roughly 150 km southeast of Paris and dated to around 4850–4500 BC, numerous burials of ordinary individuals have been discovered, with no unique monuments marking their resting places. From 128 remains found, DNA fragments were extracted from 94. Remarkably, approximately two-thirds of these individuals belong to a single family tree spanning roughly seven generations. At the root of this genealogy is a man, with a woman’s remains found nearby, although DNA could not be retrieved from her.

The other women found did not exhibit close kinship with any individual, hinting that they may have entered the family from outside communities. This pattern reflects typical prehistoric societal structures, where males often remained in their place of origin, while females migrated elsewhere. All siblings shared the same mother and father, indicating a monogamous structure without any half-siblings present. The high number of adult siblings and the absence of half-siblings suggest stable health conditions and a well-developed social network supporting both the elderly and the young.

Further analysis, such as isotopic studies, suggests that the site was occupied for only a few decades.

Section 1.2: Contrasting Findings in Britain

In stark contrast, the burial sites in Britain reveal different dynamics. Here, one male was found to have reproduced with as many as four women. Discoveries from Britain, dated approximately 5700 years ago, involve 35 individuals, 27 of whom are part of the same lineage spanning about five generations. This lineage still indicates clear patrilineal descent. The presence of women partnered with these men and the lack of adult daughters suggest practices of virilocal burial and female exogamy. Notably, the man who fathered children with four women had some descendants buried in the same tomb.

However, other tombs contained men who were not part of the main lineage, implying that some men adopted children from their reproductive partners linked to other patrilineal lines. Moreover, eight individuals not closely related to the primary lineage indicate that social ties could also extend beyond biological kinship. Similar to the French findings, these individuals also seemed to have lived in the area for only a short time, with some found about 40 km from their birthplace.