First encounters in the north: cultural diversity and gene flow in Early Mesolithic Scandinavia

Mikael A. Manninen,Hege Damlien,Anja R. Niemi,Per Persson,Kjel Knutsson,Carine S. Rosenvinge,Anton Murashkin,Jan Ingolf Kleppe

doi:10.15184/aqy.2020.252

Abstract

Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past material culture. Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies conclude that this group resulted from two single-event dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC. Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA, and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia before 9000 BC. The findings underline the importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with the study of ancient population genomics.

Highlights

In recent years, human palaeogenomics has been integrated into the study of prehistoric human mobility and dispersal—a research avenue with a long history in archaeology
Archaeological evidence, even though the ancient DNA samples derive from archaeological contexts, and genomic variation is interpreted in the context of archaeological background information
Well-known examples include two studies that propose a massive migration from the Eurasian Steppe towards the west in the third millennium BC (Allentoft et al 2015; Haak et al 2015)—which have drawn strong criticism from archaeologists (e.g. Vander Linden 2016, 2019; Heyd 2017; Johannsen et al 2017; Furholt 2018, 2019; Carlin 2020)—as well as the debate concerning ancient DNA (aDNA) and the introduction and spread of agriculture in Europe (Hofmann 2015; Ion 2017)

Summary

Introduction

Human palaeogenomics has been integrated into the study of prehistoric human mobility and dispersal—a research avenue with a long history in archaeology. On the Russian side of the Barents Sea, the Gusiny site-cluster (see Table S1 and the OSM) on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula has yielded lithic assemblages representing both the western and eastern production concepts (Figure 6). The most thoroughly published evidence of eastern pressure-blade technology in the study area derives from the Sujala site This is located in northernmost Finnish Lapland, and is radiocarbon-dated to 8691–7794 BC (Table S1). The eastern pressure-blade concept has recently been identified in southern Sweden, where the earliest securely dated site with evidence for pressure-blade production is the lakeshore site Ytterbergs udde, located 1km from the Almeö site by the same Hornborga Lake The latter yielded contemporaneous dates associated with western technology (Figure 9; Kindgren 1995). If only for geographic proximity, it seems probable that Swedish Lapland was colonised from the east

Discussion

Conclusion