Genetic Analysis of Neolithic Stone Cist Burials from the Aosta Valley, Northern Italy: Insights into Ancestry, Kinship, and Cultural Transition

Furtwängler, Anja; Steuri, Noah David; Milella, Marco; Martinet, Francesca; Raiteri, Luca; Mittnik, Alissa; Lösch, Sandra; Krause, Johannes (13 October 2023). Genetic Analysis of Neolithic Stone Cist Burials from the Aosta Valley, Northern Italy: Insights into Ancestry, Kinship, and Cultural Transition (Unpublished). In: What the dead tell us - Exploring societal behaviors of early European farmers through funerary practices (5000-4000 BCE). Bern. 13th of October 2023.

The Neolithic period witnessed significant demographic and cultural changes across Europe, including the introduction of agriculture and the establishment of settled communities. In this study, we present the genetic analysis of individuals from Neolithic stone cist burials discovered in Northern Italy, shedding light on the genetic makeup, ancestry components, and kinship patterns of early farming populations in the region. Applying admixture dating, ancestry component modeling, and genetic kinship analysis to a small sample size of 10 individuals, we reveal the typical genetic makeup of early farming populations. Surprisingly, our analysis also revealed instances of first-degree relatives within this limited sample, indicating the existence of tightly-knit familial relationships within the context of Neolithic stone cist graves from this area. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the genetic composition and social dynamics of Neolithic populations in the south-western Alps.

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