Paleogenetic Analysis Research Articles

Ancient DNA and osteological analyses of a unique paleo-archive reveal Early Holocene faunal expansion into the Scandinavian Arctic.

Paleo-archives are essential for our understanding of species responses to climate warming, yet such archives are extremely rare in the Arctic. Here, we combine morphological analyses and bulk-bone metabarcoding to investigate a unique chronology of bone deposits sealed in the high-latitude Storsteinhola cave system (68°50' N 16°22' E) in Norway. This deposit dates to a period of climate warming from the end of the Late Glacial [~13 thousand calibrated years before the present (ka cal B.P.)] to the Holocene thermal maximum (~5.6 ka cal B.P.). Paleogenetic analyses allow us to exploit the 1000s of morphologically unidentifiable bone fragments resulting in a high-resolution sequence with 40 different taxa, including species not previously found here. Our record reveals borealization in both the marine and terrestrial environments above the Arctic Circle as a naturally recurring phenomenon in past periods of warming, providing fundamental insights into the ecosystem-wide responses that are ongoing today.

The east of the Neanderthal universe: a comparative analysis of Sukhaya Mechetka and Altai Micoquian complexes

Late European Neanderthals, associated with the Micoquian techno-complex, spread over vast area from Western Europe to the Altai. There were no sites found in the territories to the east of the Volga region. The key site of the Eastern Micoquian, Sukhaya Mechetka, which was discovered in 1951 in the Volgograd region, was for a long time the eastern outpost of Neanderthals in Eurasia. In the last five years, the results of paleogenetic analysis have confirmed the archaeological hypothesis of the migration of late European Neanderthals, the producers of the Micoquian, from Central and Eastern Europe to Altai. Until then, the genesis of Altai industries was associated with a wide range of European and Near Eastern techno-complexes, and anthropological remains were interpreted more in a Near Eastern context. In this regard, the industry of the Sukhaya Mechetka site, located on the route of the supposed migration of the Micoquians, acquires additional relevance in the research of the variability of the easternmost complexes of this cultural tradition. The attributive and technological analysis of tool kit from Sukhaya Mechetka was carried out and, using mathematical statistics methods, their results were compared with the available data on the Altai sites: Chagyrskaya and Okladnikov Caves. The new data were supplemented by the published materials from the Sukhaya Mechetka site. As a result, high level of technical-typological similarity of the compared industries in the context of primary flaking, bifacial tool production, tool typology and morphology was revealed. The structure of the Sukhaya Mechetka tool kit is closest to the Chagirskaya Сave, which is characterized by a large number of simple side-scrapers. At the same time, the site lacks of high-quality raw materials used to make bifacial items and intensively worked unifacial tools. In the Okladnikov Cave complexes this deficit is less. In composition and morphology of unifacial and bifacial tools, Sukhaya Mechetka is closest to the assemblages of the Antonovka I site and Chagyrkaya Cave. They share similarity with Okladnikov Cave in terms of a significant number of leaf-shaped and crescent-shaped tools. Some new characteristics were additionally determined for the assemblage of Sukhaya Mechetka. It was established that the primary decortications of cores was carried out outside the site. We also reconstructed the stages of production, rejuvenating and reshaping of bifaces on the site.

The Rurikids: The First Experience of Reconstructing the Genetic Portrait of the Ruling Family of Medieval Rus' Based on Paleogenomic Data.

The Rurikids were the reigning house of Rus', its principalities and, ultimately the Tsardom of Russia, for seven centuries: from the IX to the end of the XVI century. According to the Primary Chronicle (the Tale of Bygone Years), the main chronicle of Rus', the Rurik dynasty was founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, invited to reign in Novgorod in 862, but still there is no direct genetic evidence of the origin of the early Rurikids. This research, for the first time, provides a genome-wide paleogenetic analysis of bone remains belonging to one of the Rurikids, Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich (?-1294), the son of the Grand Prince of Vladimir Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1221-1263). It has been established that his Y chromosome belongs to the N1a haplogroup. Most of the modern Rurikids, according to their genealogies, belonging to the N1a haplogroup, have the most similar variants of Y chromosomes to each other, as well as to the Y chromosome of Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich. Genome-wide data of the medieval and modern Rurikids unequivocally indicates that they belong to the N1a haplogroup of the Y chromosome, starting at least from the XI century (since the time of Prince Yaroslav the Wise). All the other alleged Rurikids, both ancient and modern, being carriers of other haplogroups (R1a, I2a), possess high heterogeneity of the sequence of Y chromosomes, meaning that we cannot confirm their common ancestry. The most probable ancestors of Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich in the male line were the men who left the burial ground Bolshoy Oleny Island on the coast of the Kola Peninsula about 3,600 years ago. The reconstruction of the genome of Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich indicates the contribution of three ancestral components to his origin: (1) the early medieval population of the east of Scandinavia from the island of Oland, (2) representatives of the steppe nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes of the Iron Age or the early medieval population of central Europe (steppe nomads from the territory of Hungary), and (3) the ancient East-Eurasian component. Reliable statistics were also obtained when the Scandinavians were replaced with the Medieval Russian Slavic populations of the XI century. Thus, for the first time, we have shown the complex nature of interethnic interactions in the formation of the nobility of medieval Rus' on the example of the ancient Rurikid.

Disentangling the origins of viticulture in the western Mediterranean

We present direct evidence of early grape domestication in southern Italy via a multidisciplinary study of pip assemblage from one site, shedding new light on the spread of viticulture in the western Mediterranean during the Bronze Age. This consist of 55 waterlogged pips from Grotta di Pertosa, a Middle Bronze Age settlement in the south of the Italian peninsula. Direct radiocarbon dating of pips was carried out, confirming the chronological consistency of the samples with their archaeological contexts (ca. 1450–1200 BCE). The extraordinary state of conservation of the sample allowed to perform geometric morphometric (GMM) and paleogenetic analyses (aDNA) at the same time. The combination of the two methods has irrefutably shown the presence of domestic grapevines, together with wild ones, in Southern Italy during the Middle/Late Bronze Age. The results converge towards an oriental origin of the domestic grapes, most likely arriving from the Aegean area through the Mycenaeans. A parent/offspring kinship was also recognised between a domestic/wild hybrid individual and a domestic clonal group. This data point out a little known aspect of the diffusion of the first viticulture in Italy, and therefore in the western Mediterranean, which involved the hybridization between imported domestic varieties with, likely local, wild vines.

Древняя ДНК носителей фатьяновской и абашевской культур (к вопросу о миграциях населения эпохи бронзы в лесной полосе на Русской равнине)

This study addresses a fundamental question of the origins and migration patterns of paleopopulations of the Fatyanovo and the Middle Volga Abashevo archaeological cultures. It is for the first time that we report a paleogenetic analysis of 14 Abashevo individuals (Pepkino and Starshy Nikitinsky sites). Besides, we analysed ancient DNA samples of 25 Fatyanovo individuals. Specifically, we performed analyses of STR marker and haplogroups of the Y chromosome, which revealed the distinct R1a (Z93) haplogroup in Fatyanovo samples. It indicates the influence of the founder effect and gene drift, confirming the hypothesis of their migrant origin. In contrast, the Abashevo culture samples are heterogenous, as we discovered 2 groups with different origins on the paternal line. To be more specific, three men from Pepkino mound are haplogroup R1b (Z2103) carriers, while seven other individuals have haplogroup R1a (Z93>Z94). In addition, close relatives with identical STR haplotypes of the Y-chromosome were identified in both Fatyanovo and Abashevo groups. The comparative analyses of autosomal markers from 19 samples and previously published data uncovered similarities between Abashevo men from Pepkino mound (the haplogroup R1a (Z93>Z94)) with the Fatyanovo people, as well as with some representatives of the Unetice culture. These results are suggestive of the genetic continuity in the Russian Plain. Yet, less recent ancestors of Abashevo group interred in Pepkino mound could have migrated from the same region as the Fatyanovo predesessors.

New find of a Mesolithic antler axe from western Poland

In 2017, a man fishing in the Oder River accidentally discovered an antler-base axe in the village of Domaszków, Lower Silesian Voivodeship. In-depth study of the axe included analysis of the traces on its surface, radiocarbon dating and paleogenetic analysis, and concluded with the tool’s conservation. Most of the traces casting light on the techniques used in its crafting had been eroded by intensive water action. The axe was made from the unshed red deer antler. Among the preserved marks we note pointed depressions made during the separation of the antler beam, traces where the brow and bay tines were cut off, and concentric rings from the drilling of the perforation. A small scar on the axe’s blade was identified as resulting from the tool’s use. Radiocarbon dating placed the origins of the axe in Boreal period. Such tools are known from western Poland and the north-western European Mesolithic as well as from the Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age.

Middle Neolithic Burials in Baikal-Yenisey Siberia: Problems of Cultural Identity and Genesis

The study focuses on the analysis of Middle Neolithic burial complexes of the Baikal-Yenisey Siberia. Based on a series of reliable radiocarbon dates, their age lies within the range of 6190–5900 cal BP. It partly corresponds to the end of the hiatus in the mortuary traditions of Cis-Baikal. Features of the burial rite and funerary offerings are analyzed and compared with those of neighboring territories. One of the most frequent images in the art of the Middle Neolithic Baikal-Yenisey Siberia is that of the waterfowl, rendered as fi gurines. The common grave goods are leaf-shaped stone arrowheads, shell beads, and pendants made of animal bones and teeth. The funerary rite included the use of fi re and reddish mineral pigment, as well as disrupting the anatomical integrity of the skeletons, possibly due to partial burial (the data are tentative). Most burials of the late stage of the hiatus are evidently those of hunter-gatherers manufacturing the Ust-Belaya ceramics, which were found in certain burials. A bone arrowhead with a biconical point and fi gurines representing waterfowl suggest cultural ties with the Urals and Western Siberia; but their nature has yet to be clarifi ed, which requires large-scale AMS-dating and paleogenetic analysis.

Paleogenetic analysis and radiocarbon dating on skeletal remains from the Roman necropolis of Contrada Diana (Lipari Island, Sicily)

Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian Islands, is located in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Archeological evidence suggests an early human occupation starting from the Neolithic period. The island, favored by its volcanic history, was an important crossroads of cultures and commerce exchanges during prehistory up to Greek and Roman dominations. In this study, we present multidisciplinary analysis results on four skeletal remains from the necropolis of Contrada Diana attributed to the Roman period. By using Next Generation Sequencing technology we identified the biological sex and reconstructed the complete mitochondrial genome for two individuals. We retrieved the first ancient L3e5a lineage that is today present only in North and Central Africa. In addition, a 14C dating of 2,030 ± 45 years BP was obtained for one individual. A previous ancient DNA study has highlighted a genetic link between Sicily and the African continent at least from the Bronze Age. Our results, documenting the existence of contacts between Lipari and Africa during Roman influence, are particularly relevant to better understand the peopling of the Aeolian Archipelago when the island was a sea route of primary importance for the trade in the Mediterranean.

Genetic analysis of a bronze age individual from Ulug-depe (Turkmenistan).

The Oxus Civilisation (or Bactrio-Margian Archaeological Complex, BMAC) was the main archaeological culture of the Bronze Age in southern Central Asia. Paleogenetic analyses were previously conducted mainly on samples from the eastern part of BMAC. The population associated with BMAC descends from local Chalcolithic populations, with some outliers of steppe or South-Asian descent. Here, we present new genome-wide data for one individual from Ulug-depe (Turkmenistan), one of the main BMAC sites, located at the southwestern edge of the BMAC. We demonstrate that this individual genetically belongs to the BMAC cluster. Using this genome, we confirm that modern Indo-Iranian–speaking populations from Central Asia derive their ancestry from BMAC populations, with additional gene flow from the western and the Altai steppes in higher proportions among the Tajiks than the Yagnobi ethnic group.

The origin of the Homo sapiens lineage: When and where?

It is often assumed that both our species and the last common ancestor (LCA) of Neanderthals and modern humans originated in Africa, with all Eurasian Pleistocene populations expected to ultimately come from Africa. This paper aims to review the Middle Pleistocene fossil record of Africa and Southwest Asia to reinforce the need to at least consider the possibility of a non-African origin for the “sapiens lineage” as a plausible hypothesis. While the fossil record from the late Middle Pleistocene of Africa does suggest that the earliest representatives of Homo sapiens are indeed found in this continent, we found no consistent evidence showing that the LCA necessarily also originated in Africa. At present, based on paleogenetic analyses, the most widely accepted hypothesis suggests that the LCA may have lived during the early Middle Pleistocene. To this information, we must add the constellation of traits observed in H. antecessor, a species that from both morphology and molecular data has been interpreted as being close to the LCA. The morphology of the LCA may be defined by a mosaic of features in the cranium and dentition which, so far, has not been found in the African record. We emphasize that the case for an African origin for the LCA is not a closed one. We suggest caution and the need for further findings and studies, especially in Southwest Asia, which may be a critical region for studying the divergence of H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis.

Прижизненные травмы скелета у носителей фатьяновской культуры в свете данных археологии и генетики

Materials and methods. All the specific consequences of antemortem traumas that we encountered come from materials obtained during excavations of the Volosovo-Danilovo burial ground in the Yaroslavl region, the largest Fatyanovo burial site. The anthropological study combined visual inspection and microfocus radiography. As part of the paleogenetic analysis, the study of nuclear DNA microsatellites was used. The work was carried out on the basis of the Laboratory of Historical Genetics of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Results and discussion. The consequences of injuries in men from the Volosovo-Danilovo burial ground were well-healed wounds to the bones of the left arm, in the area of the elbow joint and hand. The closest analogies to the discovered injuries were previously described traumas of representatives of the Corded Ware cultures in Germany (Eulau site) and in Poland (Kruszyn), where mostly they were interpreted as military (defensive) wounds. Quantitative assessment of the quality of the genetic material showed very high parameters for ancient DNA. The 27-marker panel was almost completely covered. Samples from the three studied male burials (№№22, 24, 57) showed belonging to a sub-branch of the haplogroup R1a (M448>M417> S224). In 10 out of 14 loci, the allele values for individuals from Eulau and the Volosovo-Danilovo burial ground coincide (the allele values differ only by one grade), which indicates the relative proximity of individuals in terms of paternal descent. Conclusion. Intravital injuries of the left arm in the elbow joint and hand of men in the Volosovo-Danilovo burial ground testify to similar tactics of battle among the Fatyanovo warriors of the Upper Volga and the Corded men of Germany and Poland. The features serve as an independent indicator of their belonging to a single cultural community. The paleopathological study finds confirmation in the results of paleogenetic analysis showing a connection with the Central European population of the Corded Ware culture (Eulau site).

Bioarchaeological and palaeogenomic portrait of two Pompeians that died during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD

The archaeological site of Pompeii is one of the 54 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Italy, thanks to its uniqueness: the town was completely destroyed and buried by a Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 AD. In this work, we present a multidisciplinary approach with bioarchaeological and palaeogenomic analyses of two Pompeian human remains from the Casa del Fabbro. We have been able to characterize the genetic profile of the first Pompeian’ genome, which has strong affinities with the surrounding central Italian population from the Roman Imperial Age. Our findings suggest that, despite the extensive connection between Rome and other Mediterranean populations, a noticeable degree of genetic homogeneity exists in the Italian peninsula at that time. Moreover, palaeopathological analyses identified the presence of spinal tuberculosis and we further investigated the presence of ancient DNA from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the power of a combined approach to investigate ancient humans and confirms the possibility to retrieve ancient DNA from Pompeii human remains. Our initial findings provide a foundation to promote an intensive and extensive paleogenetic analysis in order to reconstruct the genetic history of population from Pompeii, a unique archaeological site.

Revisiting proboscidean phylogeny and evolution through total evidence and palaeogenetic analyses including Notiomastodon ancient DNA

SummaryThe extinct Gomphotheriidae is the only proboscidean family that colonized South America. The phylogenetic position of the endemic taxa has been through several revisions using morphological comparisons. Morphological studies are enhanced by paleogenetic analyses, a powerful tool to resolve phylogenetic relationships; however, ancient DNA (aDNA) preservation decreases in warmer regions. Despite the poor preservation conditions for aDNA in humid, sub-tropical climates, we recovered ∼3,000 bp of mtDNA of Notiomastodon platensis from the Arroyo del Vizcaíno site, Uruguay. Our calibrated phylogeny places Notiomastodon as a sister taxon to Elephantidae, with a divergence time of ∼13.5 Ma. Additionally, a total evidence analysis combining morphological and paleogenetic data shows that the three most diverse clades within Proboscidea diverged during the early Miocene, coinciding with the formation of a land passage between Africa and Eurasia. Our results are a further step toward aDNA analyses on Pleistocene samples from subtropical regions and provide a framework for proboscidean evolution.

Helminth infection and human mobility in sambaquis: Paleoparasitological, paleogenetic, and microremains investigations in Jabuticabeira II, Brazil (2890 ± 55 to 1805 ± 65 BP)

Sambaquis or shellmounds are archeological sites constructed by hunter-fisher-gatherers that inhabited the Brazilian coast about 10,000–2000 yrs BP. Jabuticabeira II (JABII: 2890 ± 55 to 1805 ± 65 BP) is one of dozens of contemporaneous sambaquis of the Santa Catarina state, South Brazil, and contains hundreds of neatly organized burials, indicating great population density. In order to gather information about the health, diet and way of life of people in JABII, a paleoparasitological, paleogenetic, and micro-human remains investigation was carried out. Pelvic region and environmental control samples from six individuals exhumed from JABII were submitted to microscopic and ancient DNA (aDNA) investigation. Paleoparasitological analyses based on light microscopy were negative. However, a variety of informative microremains were found. Diatoms, fish scales, and algae characterize the marine and estuarine environment. Ipomoea batatas and Zea mays starch grains suggested cultivated items as part of their diet in agreement with the literature. The finding of Podocarpus sp. pollen grain, characteristic of highlander vegetation, suggests human mobility of JABII individuals which were settlement in the coast. Paleogenetic analyses showed Ascaris sp. helminth infection based on nad1 gene fragment detected from an individual excavated at L3 FS7 burial (1826 ± 40 BP). This aDNA result places the antiquity of Ascaris sp. infection, and haplotypes that are circulating in humans and other animals nowadays, in Pre-Columbian South American times.

Parasites in the Atacama Desert: New insights into the lifestyles of ancient human populations (3000–500 BP)

Paleoparasitological studies have provided insights into ancient parasite occurrence and its relationship to the health, lifestyle, and cultural practices of past populations. We analyzed 26 human coprolites and digestive tract contents, most of them contained in mummified human bodies, from coastal and inland archaeological sites in the Atacama Desert (3000–500 BP), to test for gastrointestinal parasites. We rehydrated and sedimented the samples to concentrate the micro-remains and then conducted light microscopy examination and paleogenetic analysis. The microscopy analysis allowed us to recover helminth eggs of five different taxa in seven samples, attributed to Diphyllobotrium sp., Dipylidium caninum, Enterobius vermicularis, Trichuris sp., and possible strongylid. PCR amplification yielded negative results in all cases. Results suggest a low parasite burden relating to infection with pinworms, whipworms, and possible strongylids, as well as an absence of infection in most of the individuals. The presence of Diphyllobotrium sp. in coastal sites is associated with the consumption of insufficiently cooked fish resources. The occurrence of D. caninum in an inland site may indicate cohabitation with dogs and/or wild canids. These findings contribute to knowledge of parasite occurrence in human groups from the southern Andes and its relationship with the environment and the cultural practices involved.

Molecular sexing of degraded DNA from elephants and mammoths: a genotyping assay relevant both to conservation biology and to paleogenetics

It is important to determine the sex of elephants from their samples—faeces from the field or seized ivory—for forensic reasons or to understand population demography and genetic structure. Molecular sexing methods developed in the last two decades have often shown limited efficiency, particularly in terms of sensitivity and specificity, due to the degradation of DNA in these samples. These limitations have also prevented their use with ancient DNA samples of elephants or mammoths. Here we propose a novel TaqMan-MGB qPCR assay to address these difficulties. We designed it specifically to allow the characterization of the genetic sex for highly degraded samples of all elephantine taxa (elephants and mammoths). In vitro experiments demonstrated a high level of sensitivity and low contamination risks. We applied this assay in two actual case studies where it consistently recovered the right genotype for specimens of known sex a priori. In the context of a modern conservation survey of African elephants, it allowed determining the sex for over 99% of fecal samples. In a paleogenetic analysis of woolly mammoths, it produced a robust hypothesis of the sex for over 65% of the specimens out of three PCR replicates. This simple, rapid, and cost-effective procedure makes it readily applicable to large sample sizes.

Differentiation of Bovinae teeth from the Portel‑Ouest Mousterian cave (Loubens, Ariège, France) by near‑infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

The Portel site, located on the Pyrenean piedmont in France (Ariege), includes two caves: the Portel‑Est cave, famous for its mainly Magdalenian cave paintings, and the Portel‑Ouest cave corresponding essentially to a Mousterian habitat (layers L to B1a: 135,000 to 36,300 years BP ; Ajaja, 1994, Tissoux, 2004). Excavations over five meters deep of stratigraphy carried out in the Portel‑Ouest by Joseph and Jean Vezian between 1949 and 1987 revealed 33 Neanderthal remains associated with over 200,000 vestiges. In these vestiges, we found 1483 Bovinae remains. In a previous paleontological study of similar vestiges, differentiating Bos primigenius from Bison priscus proved challenging. Considering morphological, biometric, or morphometric criteria, only 21% of the remains could be attributed to one of the two genera, with a clear predominance for Bison priscus. Thus 79% of the Bovinae remains could not be attributed to one or the other of the two genera, either because they had composite forms or because they were too fragmented or worn to attempt a specific attribution. The aim of the present project is thus to develop and exploit the rapid tool of near infrared spectroscopy to discriminate between these genera, focusing on the teeth. Each tooth in the database was scanned with a near‑infrared spectrometer. For 53 teeth, the database containing the infrared spectra was completed by the paleontological expertise designating the tooth as belonging to Bos or Bison. Chemometric tools were then used to build a model to assign the tooth to a genus, according to its infrared spectrum. In a final step, the model was used to predict the genus of 76 teeth that could not be assigned to the Bos or Bison genus by paleontologists. This step provided a projection of the animal population living at that time at Portel site. Finally, the results were compared with paleogenetic analyses.

The Paleogenetic Study of Bertek-33, an Afanasyevo Cemetery on the Ukok Plateau, the Altai Mountains

We present the results of a paleogenetic analysis of bone samples representing seven adult individuals from Bertek-33—an Afanasyevo cemetery on the Ukok plateau, in the Altai Republic, Russia. The fi ndings are interpreted with reference to archaeological and anthropological data. Four systems of genetic markers were analyzed: mitochondrial DNA, polymorphic fragment of the amelogenin gene, autosomal STR-loci, and Y-chromosomal STR-loci. Genetic results indicate the dominance of Western Eurasian mtDNA haplogroups (T, J, U5a, K, H) and the homogeneity of the male gene-pool represented by variants of the Y-chromosomal haplogroup R1b. Data on mtDNA, Y-chromosome, and individual autosomal markers attest to the Western Eurasian affi nities of this group. The sample falls within the mtDNA and Y-chromosomal diversity of the Afanasyevo population of southern Siberia. Possible kinship between the individuals buried at Bertek-33 is discussed. Also, we address theoretical issues such as the accuracy of comparisons and the interpretation of genetic data with regard to cultural features.

Dosage analysis of the 7q11.23 Williams region identifies BAZ1B as a major human gene patterning the modern human face and underlying self-domestication

We undertook a functional dissection of chromatin remodeler BAZ1B in neural crest (NC) stem cells (NCSCs) from a uniquely informative cohort of typical and atypical patients harboring 7q11.23 copy number variants. Our results reveal a key contribution of BAZ1B to NCSC in vitro induction and migration, coupled with a crucial involvement in NC-specific transcriptional circuits and distal regulation. By intersecting our experimental data with new paleogenetic analyses comparing modern and archaic humans, we found a modern-specific enrichment for regulatory changes both in BAZ1B and its experimentally defined downstream targets, thereby providing the first empirical validation of the human self-domestication hypothesis and positioning BAZ1B as a master regulator of the modern human face. In so doing, we provide experimental evidence that the craniofacial and cognitive/behavioral phenotypes caused by alterations of the Williams-Beuren syndrome critical region can serve as a powerful entry point into the evolution of the modern human face and prosociality.

New perspectives on Neanderthal dispersal and turnover from Stajnia Cave (Poland)

The Micoquian is the broadest and longest enduring cultural facies of the Late Middle Palaeolithic that spread across the periglacial and boreal environments of Europe between Eastern France, Poland, and Northern Caucasus. Here, we present new data from the archaeological record of Stajnia Cave (Poland) and the paleogenetic analysis of a Neanderthal molar S5000, found in a Micoquian context. Our results demonstrate that the mtDNA genome of Stajnia S5000 dates to MIS 5a making the tooth the oldest Neanderthal specimen from Central-Eastern Europe. Furthermore, S5000 mtDNA has the fewest number of differences to mtDNA of Mezmaiskaya 1 Neanderthal from Northern Caucasus, and is more distant from almost contemporaneous Neanderthals of Scladina and Hohlenstein-Stadel. This observation and the technological affinity between Poland and the Northern Caucasus could be the result of increased mobility of Neanderthals that changed their subsistence strategy for coping with the new low biomass environments and the increased foraging radius of gregarious animals. The Prut and Dniester rivers were probably used as the main corridors of dispersal. The persistence of the Micoquian techno-complex in South-Eastern Europe infers that this axis of mobility was also used at the beginning of MIS 3 when a Neanderthal population turnover occurred in the Northern Caucasus.