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https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...89004223022927
• High genetic complexity in individuals from a single small medieval alpine cemetery
• Ancestry primarily from south Europe, with only few possible non-local individuals
• Cultural hybridization and complex genetic admixture in South Tyrol
• A multiple burial hosts a father-son couple who belonged to a high-ranking familia
In South Tyrol (Eastern Italian Alps), during Late Antiquity-Early Middle Ages, archeological records indicate cultural hybridization among alpine groups and peoples of various origin. Using paleogenomics, we reconstructed the ancestry of 20 individuals (4th–7th cent. AD) from a cemetery to analyze whether they had heterogeneous or homogeneous ancestry and to study their social organization. The results revealed a primary genetic ancestry from southern Europe and additional ancestries from south-western, western, and northern Europe, suggesting that cultural hybridization was accompanied by complex genetic admixture. Kinship analyses found no genetic relatedness between the only two individuals buried with grave goods. Instead, a father-son pair was discovered in one multiple grave, together with unrelated individuals and one possible non-local female. These genetic findings indicate the presence of a high social status familia, which is supported by the cultural materials and the proximity of the grave to the most sacred area of the church.
EURAC ID Chronological phases 14C AD (95.4%) Tomb, SU Mol. sex Age at death (years) mtDNA hg Y chrom. hg 2277 Phase 3 — T.2, US117 ND 35–40 ND N.D. 2417 Phase 3 — T.2, US119 XY 50+ J1c3c R1b1a2a1a2b1c2b1a 2418 Phase 3 428–567 T.2, US119 XX 25–30 H — 2419 Phase 3 — T.2, US119 XY 40–50 H1e J 2422 Phase 3 — T.2, US117 XX 30–35 H1 — 2423∗ Phase 3 557–634 T.2, US118 XY 35–40 H J 2067∗ Phase 1 (skeleton) Phase 2 (T.3) 429–564 T.3, US100 XY 35–40 H3b+16129 I2a2a1b1b2 2404 Phase 1 387–532 T.5, US137 XY 35–40 N1a1a1a1 R1b1a2a1a2b1c2 2420 Phase 2 — T.6, US126 XX 35–40 K1a4 — 2068 Phase 2 — T.7, US105 XY 40–45 H27+16093 I 2424 Phase 2 — T.7, US105 XY 20–25 H1 J 2069 Phase 2 — Area 8, US113 XY 40–45 I2 E1b1b1 2405 Phase 1 — Area 8, US121 XX 4–6 T2k — 2425 Phase 2 — Area 8, US112 XY 35–40 H1e E1b1b1a1b1a 2426 Phase 1 — Area 8, US120 XY 25–35 H1q R1a 2427 Phase 1 — Area 8, US125 XY 35–40 H3ap G2a2b2a1a1b1a 1895 Phase 2 — US163, outside XY 30–35 U8a1a1a1 R1b1a2a1a2b1a1 2429 Phase 2 — US163, outside XX 60+ J2a1a1a — 2428 Phase 2 — US123 XY 20+ H5 R1 2324 Phase 3 — US158, outside XY 5–7 H39 G2a2b2a1a1b1a 2430 Phase 2 — US167, outside XY 50–60 U5b2a3 R1b1a2
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