Stone Age Mystery: DNA Reveals Ancient Population Wipeout in France
A genetic study of a prehistoric burial site near Paris reveals a sharp break between two populations, suggesting a major decline followed by the arrival of new groups from southern Europe. The findings point to a steep drop in the local population around 3000 BC, followed by migration from the south.
An international team led by the University of Copenhagen has uncovered evidence of a dramatic population collapse at a Stone Age burial site in France. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, analyzed DNA from 132 individuals buried in a megalithic tomb near Bury, 50 kilometers north of Paris. Genetic results show that individuals buried before and after the decline around 3000 BC were not related, indicating a near-complete population replacement. The earlier group resembled Stone Age farming populations from northern France and Germany, while the later group showed strong genetic links to southern France and the Iberian Peninsula. The team identified traces of ancient pathogens, including the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis, but concluded that disease was likely one of several factors driving the population collapse. The findings also suggest a shift in social organization, with burials becoming more selective and dominated by a single male lineage after the decline.
This content was automatically generated and/or translated by AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please refer to the original sources for verification.