Ancient DNA uncovers hidden social dynamics of early Mediterranean societies
Understanding how early farming societies spread across Europe has long fascinated archaeologists. Thanks to advances in ancient DNA analysis, researchers can now study not just artefacts but the people themselves. The EU-funded NEOMATRIX(opens in new window) project has played a significant role in this shift by boosting ‘archaeogenomics’ capacity in Türkiye and strengthening ties across Europe.
Tracing the Neolithic expansion through DNA
Ancient DNA offers fresh insights into “human social organisation and mobility in its various forms,” explains Mehmet Somel, NEOMATRIX project coordinator at the Middle East Technical University(opens in new window). For the Neolithic expansion that began around 9 000 years ago, DNA analysis has shown that both mobility and cultural adoption were at work. In some cases, farming communities expanded and partly displaced local hunter-gatherers. In many others, hunter-gatherers adopted agriculture and mixed with incoming groups. Cultures changed in many different ways. This complex picture of interaction and mobility was once speculative. Today, ancient DNA provides direct evidence of how early European societies evolved.
Building local expertise in archaeogenomics
NEOMATRIX also tackled the concentration of archaeogenomics expertise in a few wealthy countries. Strengthening research capacity in Türkiye and Greece is vital, notes Argyro Nafplioti, the project’s bioarchaeologist partner from Greece. The Aegean region has long been a cultural crossroads. “Through joint research activities under NEOMATRIX, we could train a younger generation of archaeogenomics researchers who have the capacity now to study many different questions,” adds Somel. Skills developed through the project are already being applied to human history, pathogen genetics, conservation biology and forensics.
Overcoming the challenges in DNA and communication
Ancient DNA degrades over time, especially in very warm and humid climates like parts of the Mediterranean. Many skeletons studied by NEOMATRIX yielded little or no authentic DNA. To address this, researchers improved laboratory protocols and developed computational methods to salvage even tiny fragments. These advances help to maximise data from fragile, degraded remains. The project also strongly emphasised responsible science communication. According to the project’s archaeogeneticist partner from France, Eva-Maria Geigl, misinterpretations of ancient DNA studies can feed genetic essentialism and reinforce harmful stereotypes. NEOMATRIX advocates for socially responsible archaeogenomics research focused on meaningful scientific questions.
Insights into kinship and social organisation
NEOMATRIX is revealing how ancient societies organised themselves. In Neolithic Anatolia, for example, people were often buried inside houses and that enabled researchers to reconstruct household structures. At the famous UNESCO site of Çatalhöyük, in particular, DNA evidence showed that household members were frequently linked through the female line, suggesting male-centred practices were not dominant. According to the project’s archaeologist partner from Türkiye, Çiğdem Atakuman, ancient DNA work is revealing the diverse connections between past societies. Both the Turkish and the French teams found signs of children being fostered or adopted as genetically unrelated individuals were buried together, suggesting that kinship ties were not always based solely on genetics.
A legacy of new researchers and new questions
As the project concludes, it leaves behind a skilled new generation of archaeogenomics researchers. “Through NEOMATRIX we trained a generation of young researchers, who will now be setting up new labs in Türkiye and other regions to widen archaeogenomics research beyond the traditional strongholds of evolutionary biology,” explains Anders Götherström, the project’s archaeogeneticist partner from Stockholm. These researchers are helping expand Europe’s capacity for high-quality, socially responsible research into human history and evolutionary biology.