Paleogenomics and Archaeology: recent debates about the spread of steppe ancestry in Westernmost Europe

Abstract

The recent development of paleogenetics has had a large impact on much of archaeology. Particularly surprising has been the discovery of a connection between the Iberian Peninsula and the Eurasian steppes, an unexpected link between the first stages of metallurgy at opposite ends of Europe. Recent studies of human remains from Copper and Bronze Age Spain and Portugal have shown a significant presence of genomes of types geneticists attribute to the Yamnaya culture and historical community. Geneticists had already identified this genome in central European archaeological contexts. Interpretation of these results has led to controversy concerning their historical significance and their importance for explaining important cultural changes, such as the origin of the Bronze Age in Iberia. As a result, many Spanish and Portuguese prehistorians have “discovered” the cultures of the steppes. Their inclusion has broadened and enriched debates concerning Iberian prehistory. This article reviews recent literature so as to assess the state of play on the contribution of paleogenetics to Iberian prehistory and to reflect on the impact of the Yamnaya culture’s unexpected burst onto its scene.