DNA reveals mysteries of 5000-year-old Neolithic burial site in the Cévennes

DNA analyses carried out on bones found in the Aven de la Boucle burial site in the Cévennes have revealed new information about a human group from the Neolithic period. This work, supervised by researchers from the universities of Bordeaux and the Côte d'Azur, sheds new light on the burial practices of this population, with a male predominance in the burials, spanning almost a millennium.

The site, discovered in 1954 and excavated since the 70s, contained the remains of 75 individuals accompanied by objects such as ceramic shards and elements of adornment. The researchers highlighted a high proportion of men among the buried individuals, confirming that three out of four were male, according to Mélanie Pruvost, a paleogeneticist at the CNRS. This discovery suggests a patrilineal transmission in the last phase of occupation of the site.

The study also shows that these individuals belonged to the same family line, with strong kinship ties between them. Although female remains have been found, their number remains limited, raising questions about their access to burial. "Women could choose to be buried with their husbands or return to their original home," says Mélanie Pruvost. As for children, their low presence remains a mystery common to other Neolithic sites.

This DNA survey, combined with archaeological data, allows us to observe genomic continuity despite cultural differences in the artifacts found. Future isotopic analyses could still reveal the exact origin of this local population, and perhaps explain why access to this burial was blocked.

Alice Leroy