• Ancient DNA solves 5,500 year old burial mystery in Sweden A young woman was laid to rest with two small children at her side. • For years, it might have seemed natural to assume they were her own. • But DNA testing tells a different story. • The children were closely related to each other, yet the woman was not their mother. • In another nearby grave, two children were buried together. • They were not brother and sister.
Article Summaries:
- Uppsala University researchers have used ancient DNA to clarify the relationships of individuals buried together at the 5,500‑year‑old Ajvide hunter‑gatherer site on Gotland, Sweden. Analysis of four shared graves revealed that many interments were not immediate family but second‑ or third‑degree relatives. In one case a young woman was buried with two children who were siblings, yet she was not their mother, suggesting she was a paternal aunt or half‑sister. Other graves contained children who were cousins rather than siblings, and one adult‑child pair was confirmed as father and daughter. The findings indicate that extended kinship played a significant role in this Stone Age community.
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