Ancient DNA research in the past decade has revealed that European population structure changed dramatically in the prehistoric period (14,000-3,000 years before present, YBP), reflecting the widespread introduction of Neolithic farmer and Bronze Age Steppe ancestries. However, little is known about how population structure changed in the historical period onward (3,000 YBP - present). To address this, we collected whole genomes from 204 individuals from Europe and the Mediterranean, many of which are the first historical period genomes from their region (e.g. Armenia, France). We found that most regions show remarkable inter-individual heterogeneity. Around 8% of historical individuals carry ancestry uncommon in the region where they were sampled, some indicating cross-Mediterranean contacts. Despite this high level of mobility, overall population structure across western Eurasia is relatively stable through the historical period up to the present, mirroring the geographic map. We show that, under standard population genetics models with local panmixia, the observed level of dispersal would lead to a collapse of population structure. Persistent population structure thus suggests a lower effective migration rate than indicated by the observed dispersal. We hypothesize that this phenomenon can be explained by extensive transient dispersal arising from drastically improved transportation networks and the Roman Empire’s mobilization of people for trade, labor, and military. This work highlights the utility of ancient DNA in elucidating finer scale human population dynamics in recent history.
Did She Wear a Face Mask? Osteoarchaeological Analysis of Burial from the Early Bronze Age Settlement in Zbehy.The osteoarchaeological study analyses and attempts to interpret an unusual find from an Early Bronze Age settlement burial in Zbehy (nitra district, slovakia). an artefact made of hollow bone shafts of birds and a hare was discovered on the face of a female aged 35-45 years. The woman probably suffered from chronic rhinosinusitis and severe dental problems, implying that the artefact may have served as a face mask. Due to the lack of archaeological analogies, the interpretation of the function of the artefact from Zbehy remains open for discussion.
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