Extensive pedigrees reveal the social organization of a Neolithic community

Maïté Rivollat (), Adam Benjamin Rohrlach, Harald Ringbauer, Ainash Childebayeva, Fanny Mendisco, Rodrigo Barquera, András Szolek, Mélie Le Roy, Heidi Colleran, Jonathan Tuke, Franziska Aron, Marie-Hélène Pemonge, Ellen Späth, Philippe Télouk, Léonie Rey, Gwenaëlle Goude, Vincent Balter, Johannes Krause, Stéphane Rottier (), Marie-France Deguilloux and Wolfgang Haak ()
Additional contact information
Maïté Rivollat: University of Bordeaux, CNRS, PACEA - UMR 5199, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Adam Benjamin Rohrlach: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Harald Ringbauer: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Ainash Childebayeva: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Fanny Mendisco: University of Bordeaux, CNRS, PACEA - UMR 5199, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Rodrigo Barquera: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
András Szolek: University of Tübingen
Mélie Le Roy: Bournemouth University
Heidi Colleran: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Jonathan Tuke: University of Adelaide
Franziska Aron: Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
Marie-Hélène Pemonge: University of Bordeaux, CNRS, PACEA - UMR 5199, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Ellen Späth: Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
Philippe Télouk: Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, UCBL, LGL-TPE
Léonie Rey: University of Bordeaux, CNRS, PACEA - UMR 5199, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Gwenaëlle Goude: CNRS, Aix Marseille University, Ministry of Culture, LAMPEA
Vincent Balter: Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, UCBL, LGL-TPE
Johannes Krause: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Stéphane Rottier: University of Bordeaux, CNRS, PACEA - UMR 5199, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Marie-France Deguilloux: University of Bordeaux, CNRS, PACEA - UMR 5199, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Wolfgang Haak: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Nature, 2023, vol. 620, issue 7974, 600-606

Abstract: Abstract Social anthropology and ethnographic studies have described kinship systems and networks of contact and exchange in extant populations1–4. However, for prehistoric societies, these systems can be studied only indirectly from biological and cultural remains. Stable isotope data, sex and age at death can provide insights into the demographic structure of a burial community and identify local versus non-local childhood signatures, archaeogenetic data can reconstruct the biological relationships between individuals, which enables the reconstruction of pedigrees, and combined evidence informs on kinship practices and residence patterns in prehistoric societies. Here we report ancient DNA, strontium isotope and contextual data from more than 100 individuals from the site Gurgy ‘les Noisats’ (France), dated to the western European Neolithic around 4850–4500 bc. We find that this burial community was genetically connected by two main pedigrees, spanning seven generations, that were patrilocal and patrilineal, with evidence for female exogamy and exchange with genetically close neighbouring groups. The microdemographic structure of individuals linked and unlinked to the pedigrees reveals additional information about the social structure, living conditions and site occupation. The absence of half-siblings and the high number of adult full siblings suggest that there were stable health conditions and a supportive social network, facilitating high fertility and low mortality5. Age-structure differences and strontium isotope results by generation indicate that the site was used for just a few decades, providing new insights into shifting sedentary farming practices during the European Neolithic.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06350-8

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