Ancient human DNA reveals hidden connections across Ice Age Europe

New genomic data show long-distance population contacts alongside thousands of years of regional continuity

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Vienna

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Cave of Isturitz, the cavity in which the bone of a Gravettian woman was found.

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Credit: Severine Dabadie

More than 30,000 years ago, people associated with one of Europe’s major Palaeolithic cultures (the Gravettian) were more interconnected than previously thought. An international research team led by the University of Vienna has uncovered new genetic evidence of long-distance connections between these populations. Published in Science Advances, the study combines genomic data from rare human remains with human DNA preserved in cave sediments.

The Gravettian culture was widespread across Europe around 34,000 to 25,000 years ago. While archaeological finds have long suggested extensive contacts across the continent, genetic data pointed to relatively stable eastern and western ancestry groups. By analysing new and previously published genomic data alongside human DNA from cave sediments, the researchers found evidence of east-west genetic exchange and long-term population continuity in southwestern Europe.

A woman's genome links east and west 

The remains of a woman from Isturitz Cave in southwestern France, who lived around 30,000 years ago, yielded the oldest to date genome-wide dataset of a modern human from southwestern Europe. Her genetic data provide key evidence of east-west exchange: most of her ancestry was related to the western European lineage, but she also carried ancestry related to populations from central and eastern Europe. Genetic modelling dates this gene flow to around 32,500 to 31,500 years ago. "Our results show that eastern and western European populations were not as genetically isolated as previously assumed," says first author Pere Gelabert, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Vienna. "Gene flow across such large distances adds a new dimension to our understanding of how Gravettian populations were connected." A similar signal was found in a previously studied individual from Ormesson, France. Together with archaeological evidence, the new findings also support the idea that Isturitz may have been a meeting place for different groups.

Human DNA from cave sediment 

At the same time, the researchers found evidence for long-term population continuity in southwestern Europe. Genomic data from Chufín Cave in northern Spain indicate that western European ancestry persisted in the region over thousands of years. The team also analysed ancient human DNA preserved directly in cave sediment. At El Mirón Cave in Cantabria, they recovered enough human nuclear DNA from a 22,000-year-old layer to determine its genetic ancestry – despite the absence of human bones or teeth. "Sedimentary DNA allows us to recover genetic information from periods where human remains are missing," says senior author Ron Pinhasi, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Vienna, whose team led this study. "This gives us a way to connect archaeological layers with the genetic ancestry of the people who occupied a site." The El Mirón DNA shows that this ancestry persisted through the Last Glacial Maximum, supporting the idea of the Iberian Peninsula as an Ice Age refuge.

What mother and son reveal about mating

In southern Italy, the team analysed Ostuni1b, a male fetus and most likely the son of the previously studied woman Ostuni1. His father probably came from the same genetic population, yet the parents were not closely related – suggesting mating practices that helped avoid high levels of inbreeding. Together, the findings show that regional population continuity could coexist with genetic exchange over large distances. Gelabert's team is now combining sedimentary DNA with advanced proteomic analyses to investigate the first trans-European expansions of modern humans and their interactions with carnivores where organic remains are scarce.

Summary:

• New genomic data reveal previously undetected genetic connections between eastern and western Gravettian populations in southwestern Europe.
• Genetic modelling dates this gene flow to around 32,500–31,500 years ago.
• Human DNA recovered directly from cave sediment traces long-term population continuity even where skeletal remains are missing.
• Genetic data from a mother and her son provide clues to population stability and mating practices in Gravettian Italy.

 

Ancient proteins reveal hidden aspects of technical and symbolic behaviors of early humans

 

Invisible eland identified from 60,000-year-old ochre-rich sediment

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Kyushu University

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An eland is a large plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa

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Credit: Takumi Tsutaya/Kyushu University

Fukuoka, Japan—Publishing in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B a research team from Kyushu University, Universitetet i Bergen, and the University of Copenhagen reports that they found traces of ancient collagen protein from the common eland, Taurotragus oryx, on a 60,000-year-old ochre-rich surface in the Kilpdrift Complex, a Middle and Later Stone Age archeological site located within the coastal cliffs of the De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa.

To better understand how ochre was used by early humans, the team used palaeoproteomics, the high-throughput analyses of ancient proteins, to search for potential proteinaceous traces within this archaeological feature. The study identified collagen from elands in the ochre surface, suggesting that either animal-derived materials were deliberately mixed with the ochre or ochre-treated eland hides were present at the site.

These findings provide new evidence for the complex technical and possibly symbolic behaviors of early Homo sapiens.

The most significant finding is the identification of type I collagen proteins from the common eland, which provides biomolecular evidence that animal-derived materials were associated with ochre use during the Middle Stone Age. Until now, evidence of organic components mixed with ochre has been extremely rare, especially in Africa. This discovery offers a new way to investigate how early humans used ochre and other organic materials in their daily, technical, and potentially symbolic activities.

The team analyzed archived sediment samples taken from the Kilpdrif Complex using palaeoproteomics, a growing field of archaeology and paleontology that examines ancient proteins preserved in materials collected at archeological sites. The proteins were extracted from the sediments and analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The resulting protein fragments were then compared to large protein databases and a custom collagen reference database to identify their species of origin.

These findings demonstrate that palaeoproteomics can successfully recover and identify ancient proteins from archaeological sediments, even in challenging African environments where ancient DNA rarely survives. This creates a powerful new tool for archaeologists studying early human behavior, allowing them to investigate biological materials no longer visible in the archaeological record.

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For more information about this research, see "Palaeoproteomic investigation of archaeological sediments associated with ochre use in the Middle Stone Age of southern Africa," Zahra Haghighi, Takumi Tsutaya, Elizabeth Catherine Velliky, Simon James Armitage, Christopher Miller, Meaghan Mackie, Francesco d'Errico, Gaudry Troché, Jesper Velgaard Olsen, Karen L. van Niekerk, Christopher Stuart Henshilwood, Enrico Cappellini. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.3300

Suebi, Alans and Visigoths did not erase the deep genetic legacy of Roman Hispania

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Genetic analysis identified two siblings buried at the archaeological sites of Castelló and Mérida, approximately 725 kilometres apart when travelling along the Roman road network. The image also shows the Germanic-style gold pins recovered from the two sites.

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Credit: © Cell, Carrión et al.

To the point

• Genetic history of Roman and Late Antique Hispania: An international study has analysed 243 ancient genomes from 31 archaeological sites to reconstruct the population history of the Iberian Peninsula between the 1st and 8th centuries CE.
• Roman rule transformed Iberia: The Roman conquest produced large-scale demographic change, turning the peninsula into a genetically diverse population mosaic with widespread ancestry from the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.
• Limited demographic impact of later migrations: The elites of the subsequent Suebian, Alan and Visigothic Migration Period introduced Central and Northern European ancestry, without causing population replacement or major demographic change.
• Family histories behind migration: Genomic analysis reveals individual stories of migration, alliances and power, including siblings buried hundreds of kilometres apart and elite women whose identities did not necessarily reflect foreign origin.

An international study led by the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-UPF) in Barcelona, the Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona, Harvard University and the University of the Basque Country (EHU) has reconstructed the genetic history of the Iberian Peninsula between the 1st and 8th centuries CE using 243 ancient genomes from 31 archaeological sites.

The Iberian Peninsula was one of Rome’s earliest major conquests. Its position between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, together with its abundant natural resources, made Hispania a key territory for the Empire. Centuries later, the weakening of Roman power facilitated the arrival of the Alans, Vandals and Suebi in 409 CE.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, these and other Germanic groups established new kingdoms in various parts of Europe, including the Visigothic Kingdom, founded on the peninsula in 507. Although some were short-lived, these emerging states helped shape medieval political identities and, in the long term, the map of Europe’s future states.

It was, however, still an open question as to whether the profound political and cultural influence of these migrations was accompanied by a demographic transformation of comparable magnitude.

By combining genetic and archaeological evidence, the new study published in Cell has concluded that the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula produced a large-scale demographic change. In contrast, the Suebi, Vandal, Alan and Visigoth migrations in Late Antiquity had a more limited impact on the genetic makeup of Hispania.

Rome turned Iberia into a Mediterranean genetic mosaic

The study, the first systematic, large-scale archaeogenomic analysis of this period, shows that the Iberian population changed profoundly as Roman rule became established. In contrast to the relative genetic homogeneity of the Iron Age, individuals from the 1st to the 4th centuries CE display much greater ancestry diversity.

Roman rule encouraged the arrival of people with eastern Mediterranean and North African ancestry, creating a heterogeneous society connected to human networks across the Mediterranean.

“Romanisation was not only a political, linguistic and cultural transformation. Our data show that it was also a major demographic transformation, connecting local populations with human movements originating in different parts of the Mediterranean”, explains Carles Lalueza-Fox, current director of the Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona, co-senior author of the study and principal investigator at the IBE (CSIC-UPF).

The new Germanic elites left a mark, but did not radically alter the genetics of the local population

From the 5th century onwards, the study has identified individuals with Central and Northern European ancestry, particularly in archaeological contexts associated with the new political groups. However, most communities retained the diverse profile of the Hispano-Roman population.

“What surprised us most was the contrast between the two processes. Rome created an extraordinarily diverse society due to population movements across the Mediterranean. Later migrations introduced new ancestries, but their demographic impact was much smaller”, says Pablo Carrión, first author of the study, who completed his doctorate at the IBE (CSIC-UPF) and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig.

The genetic contribution of these groups ranges from 12 percent to 22 percent, depending on the region and social context. Admixture with local populations was gradual and did not radically alter the genetic landscape, unlike in Britain or the Balkans, where post-Roman migrations had a greater demographic impact.

“The genetic history of the Iberian Peninsula differs from that of other parts of post-Roman Europe. We find migration and new ancestries, but not population replacement or large-scale demographic impact”, says David Reich, principal investigator at Harvard University and co-senior author of the study.

Two family stories reveal migrations, alliances and struggles for power

Behind these large population movements there are, however, also individual and family stories that genomic analysis can help reconstruct. The team identified two siblings buried around 725 kilometres apart, in present-day Mérida, ancient Augusta Emerita, and at the Roman posting station of Ildum in Castellón, beside the Via Augusta. Both had entirely Central European ancestry and were probably first-generation migrants.

Their kinship and the archaeological context of their richly furnished burials point to a possible route taken by the Suebian migration. “We are not simply observing changes in genetic frequencies; we are identifying families who moved across a peninsula that was still connected by the infrastructure of the Roman Empire”, explains Iñigo Olalde, co-author of the study and Ikerbasque Research Professor at the EHU.

Other remains, those of the so-called “Suebian princesses”, reveal another side of this process. Although their rich grave goods had led them to be regarded as members of an elite that arrived from beyond the imperial frontiers, one of them had local ancestry. The finding points to marriage alliances between Suebian elites and Hispano-Roman families. The deaths of several of these women within the same period may have been linked to a succession dispute in an elective monarchy.

“These women show how genetics can change our interpretation of past elites: an identity associated with migrant groups, whether Visigothic or Suebian, did not necessarily imply foreign origin, as this could also be acquired through family, political and cultural alliances”, adds Pablo Carrión.

A genetic history that remains incomplete

Iberian populations in Late Antiquity were genetically more heterogeneous than those of the present day. This indicates that the gene pool changed once again during the mediaeval and post-mediaeval periods, shaped by Visigothic rule, the Islamic conquests, internal population movements and the expansion of the Christian kingdoms.

“Future studies of mediaeval and post-mediaeval genomes are essential to connect the peninsula’s ancient inhabitants with its present-day populations, with implications for the historical, cultural and even political fields”, notes Lalueza-Fox. The team also emphasises the need to expand sampling, particularly in the northern Iberian Peninsula and North Africa.

The paper shows that major political changes did not necessarily have equivalent demographic consequences. Rome profoundly transformed the composition of Iberian society; the elites of Late Antiquity, in contrast, exerted a lasting political and cultural influence without replacing the population.

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Journal

Cell

DOI

10.1016/j.cell.2026.09.052

Mystery skeleton found in Roman sarcophagus at Westminster Abbey may finally have an identity

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Interior of the sarcophagus. Detail of the western part, prior to in situ cleaning of the skeletal remains.

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Credit: © Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd.

The identity of a mysterious skeleton found in a Roman sarcophagus in the grounds of Westminster Abbey more than 150 years ago appears closer to being solved.

When the limestone sarcophagus was excavated at the Abbey in 1869, it was found bearing an inscription to Valerius Amandinus – a wealthy Briton who lived in the city around 300 to 400 AD.

However, sculpted on the lid was a Latin cross from dating from approximately the 10th or 11th century suggesting that the human remains which were found within may belong to someone who had died many centuries later - their identity has been a mystery ever since.  

Now a new analysis, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the British Archaeological Association, by Professor Warwick Rodwell, Consultant Archaeologist at Westminster Abbey concludes that the bones belonged to a high-ranking medieval monk.

Professor Rodwell believes the most likely candidate is Aelfwig who died around 1020 after a career as an Abbot at Westminster Abbey, then a Benedictine monastery.

Another is Aelfwig’s successor Wulnoth who died in 1049 and is presumed to have been buried at the Abbey, as was Aelfwig.

“We have two viable contenders for the occupant of the sarcophagus,” says Professor Rodwell, Consultant Archaeologist at Westminster Abbey.

“We do not know the date of birth of either. But either would fit equally well if we assume the Abbot was in his early twenties when the appointment was made and close to fifty when he died.

“The fact Aelfwig was already a monk of Westminster might favour him.”

Another clue that suggests the skeleton belonged to an Abbot lies in the fact the occupant was ‘honoured’ with a ‘fine sarcophagus’. His wooden coffin was placed inside the stone burial casket in what could represent an early example of recycling. The lid was then re-carved to feature a large Latin cross, according to Professor Rodwell.

The skeleton and Roman sarcophagus have been the subject of extensive research and discussion over the years.  

These latest findings provide fresh insights into its history. They result from a series of extensive analyses by Professor Rodwell with the assistance of other experts.

They include Channel 4’s Time Team who examined the archaeology and structure of King Henry III’s original sacristy on the north side of Westminster Abbey in 2009.

This was the area of the Abbey where in 1820 workmen accidentally unearthed the sarcophagus, smashing the lid into six pieces. The damage was repaired when the Roman coffin was later officially ‘discovered’ in 1869. 

A present-day excavation of the sacristy was carried out by Pre-Construct Archaeology, one of the UK’s largest commercial archaeological and heritage practices. Completed in 2025, the work was necessary to enable the building of the King Charles III Sacristy at the Abbey which is set to open next year.

This project included an analysis of the skeleton found in the sarcophagus by human bone specialist James Young Langthorne from Pre-Construct Archaeology (PCA).

He determined the age of the deceased man to be between 35 and 49 and around 5ft 9 ins in height. This differs from an assessment in the 1800s which suggested it was a ‘robust young man’, around 5ft 7ins and aged no more than 30 years old. 

A bone sample was also sent to the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre for carbon dating. Results indicated a date of 987 to 1052 AD. Says Professor Rodwell: “This confirms that the reuse of the sarcophagus, and the associated remodelling of its cover, occurred in the late Saxon period.”

In his article, Professor Rodwell also explains how it had been believed the skeleton had been lost. However, this was shown not to be the case when the stone coffin was sent to a conservation studio in 2016. When PCA researchers lifted the lid, they found to their surprise an almost-complete skeleton inside.

Professor Rodwell details another ‘remarkable new discovery’ in his paper. The researchers in 2016 found an outline of rectangular structure in the sarcophagus. This was marked out in a white residue which had been left by lime, a substance traditionally used in burials.

“Although no physical traces of that feature remained, it can only have been a timber coffin, which has completely decayed over the course of the seven centuries that the sarcophagus was buried in the sacristy courtyard,” writes Professor Rodwell. 

The sarcophagus is on public display in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries at Westminster Abbey.

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Journal

Journal of the British Archaeological Association

DOI

10.1080/00681288.2026.2675788

Drones help archaeologists find Aboriginal rock art sites hidden in Australia’s Blue Mountains

 

Drone-mounted laser scanning identifies three previously unregistered rock shelters, offering a faster way to survey challenging landscapes and help Indigenous communities protect cultural heritage.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Sydney

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Dr Jacob Bongers and a DJI M350 drone with a YellowScan Explorer V2 LiDAR sensor

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Credit: University of Sydney

Drone-mounted laser technology is helping archaeologists locate Aboriginal rock art sites hidden in the rugged, densely vegetated landscapes of Australia’s Blue Mountains, demonstrating a new approach to surveying archaeological sites that can be difficult and expensive to reach on foot.

Researchers from the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum, working alongside the Dharug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation, used drone-based LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to identify three previously unregistered Aboriginal rock shelters containing rock art and stone artefacts.

LiDAR (Light, Detection and Ranging) uses laser pulses to create detailed 3D maps of the landscape, helping researchers detect features hidden beneath dense bushland and tree cover. The newly recorded shelters contain visually striking rock art, including red hand stencils, as well as stone artefacts.

The team says the approach could help Aboriginal communities, archaeologists and heritage managers locate and protect cultural sites more efficiently across Australia.

The research was published in Remote Sensing.

Walking side by side

The work forms part of the Gulamada Project, which is built on the principle of walking side by side, bringing together scientific knowledge and First Nations cultural knowledge to better understand and care for Country.

“From the outset, our vision for the Gulamada Project has been to create a true nexus of science and culture. This work highlights the importance of listening, learning and working together,” said project co-director, and Indigenous rock art expert, Wayne Brennan, at the University of Sydney.

The Gulamada Project received $248,610 from Round 1 of the Australian Government’s First Nations Heritage Grants program, managed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). This program provides funding for on-Country projects led by First Nations people to help identify, record and protect First Nations heritage in existing World and National Heritage-listed places.

Susan Templeman, the Federal Member for Macquarie, which includes the Blue Mountains said: “This project demonstrates the power of bringing together First Nations knowledge and new technology to better understand and protect Australia’s rich cultural heritage. I’m proud that the Australian Government’s First Nations Heritage Grants program is supporting important projects like Gulamada here in the Blue Mountains, already renowned for the extraordinary natural and cultural significance within our rugged landscapes.”

The drone-based field surveys confirmed the locations of six registered rock shelters and three previously unregistered shelters containing rock art and stone artefacts. The work also produced much more accurate coordinates than those listed in the official NSW sites register – the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS).

After the drone surveys identified potential rock shelter sites, project co-director Dr Amy Mosig Way, a research archaeologist at the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum, led teams of students and volunteers into the field to verify the locations and assess whether the shelters contained cultural material.

Wayne Brennan and Erin Wilkins (Dharug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation) then led the rock art recording at confirmed sites.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of the Gulamada Project has been creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in cultural heritage research in a community-centred project,” Dr Way said.

Rock shelters in the Blue Mountains

More than 200 rock shelters containing cultural and archaeological evidence have been recorded in the Blue Mountains. Yet, according to Dr Way, only an estimated 10 percent of the region has been surveyed because of its rugged and difficult terrain.

The new methodology enables Aboriginal communities, archaeologists and heritage managers to search vast areas of challenging landscape much faster than traditional ground surveys.

“This work is exciting because it offers an efficient and accurate way to locate sites in rugged environments, which are notoriously arduous, expensive and time-consuming to survey,” said Dr Jacob Bongers, lead author on the drone research and a digital archaeologist at the University of Sydney. He is also a former AMF/AMRI Visiting Research Fellow at the Australian Museum.

“Importantly, our methodology is helping expand the record of Aboriginal cultural sites in the Blue Mountains and has the potential to be applied in other regions,” Dr Bongers said.

Protecting sacred sites

While identifying previously unregistered rock shelters is significant, the broader impact may be the ability to find and safeguard many more cultural sites across Australia using a faster and more targeted approach.

The technology provides Aboriginal communities with another tool to use alongside existing knowledge and cultural practices to locate, document and protect important heritage sites before they are affected by development, erosion, bushfires or other threats.

Further research

These promising results lay the groundwork for further LiDAR-assisted surveys across Australia in partnership with Aboriginal communities.

The research team plans to work with Aboriginal communities to test and adapt the approach in different environments, including the tropical savannahs of western Arnhem Land and the semi-arid landscapes of western NSW.

Ultimately, the methodology could become more than a tool for locating archaeological sites. It has the potential to support Aboriginal communities in documenting, managing and safeguarding cultural landscapes for future generations.

 

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Journal

Remote Sensing

DOI

10.3390/rs18203495