Towards a new European Prehistory. Integrating aDNA, isotopic investigations, language and archaeology to reinterpret key processes of change in the prehistory of Europe
During the past few years we have witnessed a knowledge-revolution in archaeology, brought about by contributions from ancient DNA and isotopic tracing. It revealed a much more dramatic European prehistory than previously thought, characterized by major migrations 6000 BC (introduction of farming from Anatolia) and 3000 BC (steppe migrations into Europe). Our research team provided much of this new evidence. In this project we focus in on the remaining big transformations in European Prehistory from the end of the Mesolithic (Hunter-Gatherers) until the Iron Age. Firstly: we trace the introduction of farming after 4000 BC into northern Europe. Secondly: we trace movement from the Iberian Peninsula north along the Atlantic coastline of Bell Beaker people, which may have introduced metalworking. Thirdly: the Bronze Age stands out as a new epoch of extreme connectivity and trade from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia. We trace genetically and strontium wise how this new interconnected world operated. To achieve our goals, we employ a truly interdisciplinary research design by combining ancient DNA, isotopic tracing, archaeology and historical linguistics to document the full complexity of these historical changes. It will inform us about how new migrating groups interacted with existing populations and in the process created new cultures and languages. Such knowledge is relevant also in the present.
Final report
RJ Final report for‘Towards a New European Prehistory’ (RISE II),
financed by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond 2017-2022,
I refer to our midterm report as foundation for this final report. I shall briefly follow up from that report in terms of goals achieved/expanded according to the plan, and published output since then. The report is late, since we needed more time to finalize some of the central papers from the project.
Subprojects 1 and 2:
We have continued along the path set out in the Midterm report, expanding the two projects BA Mediterranean, and the Neolithic/Corded Ware transition with additional funding from the Lundbech project. We have also been able to delve more deeply into the family organization of the two well excavated megaliths: Bury in NW France and Gökhem in Western Sweden. In both places we detected that the early plague was widespread. Publications are underway, for W Sweden accepted in Nature, and for Bury in the final stage of writing.
In January 2024 we published four papers in the same volume of Nature, two of which were directly the outcome of Rise II, and the other two the outcome of the Lundbech project, but again demonstrating the synergies between the two projects (see publication list). We mapped the genetic legacy of Stone Age western Eurasia, showing that Denmark belonged to western hunter/gathers. We also mapped the meso-neo transition in Denmark in high resolution by combining genetics, pollen diagrams, strontium isotopes in diet and the most detailed study ever of this transition.
Subproject 3:
We already announced in the midterm report that this project would be delayed, due to prolonged permission processes, and an expanding number of samples in collaboration with the Lundbech project. We are now in the process of finalizing the manuscript of a Nature or Science paper on the genomic, and linguistic history of the Bronze Age Mediterranean with Guus Kroonen (linguistics) and Karin Frei/Anja Frank (strontium). Karin Frei and her team finalized baseline manuscript for Greece (two), N Italy (one) and eastern Iberia (one), in addition to the already published on Cyprus. All published in international geological journals. Also, archaeological and strontium data for Scania were published. See publication list.
Subproject 4:
This project has been integrated into subproject 3 especially, but we also published an edited book Cambridge University press, where the results of this subproject were published in two major chapters (see publication list). The book received the Society of American Archaeology award for best scholarly work for 2023.
Publication and public outreach:
Our publications have mostly come out in international top journals, especially Nature, but also in PlosOne and others. We have always produced press releases on major publications that have reached a wide international audience. Thus, the press release for the four latest Nature papers were published in more than 700 global media within two days, including BBC, CNN, New York times, as well as local Danish and Swedish newspapers, TV and radio.
Kristian Kristiansen and Karl-Göran Sjögren participated in the successful Swedish TV series: Historien om Sverige. Kristian Kristiansen participated in two international podcasts as well, and he contributed to several popular science articles. A feature articles in WeekEnd avisen presented his research in 2023. Eske Willerslev participated in numerous TV features and programs on Danish TV, and two documentaries are in production.
Awards: the project has received a major award for its edited book on The Indo-European Puzzle Revisited, from the SAA for best scholarly work in 2023. Several of the PIs have received prestigious awards: Kristian Kristiansen became foreign member of the British Academy in 2020
financed by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond 2017-2022,
I refer to our midterm report as foundation for this final report. I shall briefly follow up from that report in terms of goals achieved/expanded according to the plan, and published output since then. The report is late, since we needed more time to finalize some of the central papers from the project.
Subprojects 1 and 2:
We have continued along the path set out in the Midterm report, expanding the two projects BA Mediterranean, and the Neolithic/Corded Ware transition with additional funding from the Lundbech project. We have also been able to delve more deeply into the family organization of the two well excavated megaliths: Bury in NW France and Gökhem in Western Sweden. In both places we detected that the early plague was widespread. Publications are underway, for W Sweden accepted in Nature, and for Bury in the final stage of writing.
In January 2024 we published four papers in the same volume of Nature, two of which were directly the outcome of Rise II, and the other two the outcome of the Lundbech project, but again demonstrating the synergies between the two projects (see publication list). We mapped the genetic legacy of Stone Age western Eurasia, showing that Denmark belonged to western hunter/gathers. We also mapped the meso-neo transition in Denmark in high resolution by combining genetics, pollen diagrams, strontium isotopes in diet and the most detailed study ever of this transition.
Subproject 3:
We already announced in the midterm report that this project would be delayed, due to prolonged permission processes, and an expanding number of samples in collaboration with the Lundbech project. We are now in the process of finalizing the manuscript of a Nature or Science paper on the genomic, and linguistic history of the Bronze Age Mediterranean with Guus Kroonen (linguistics) and Karin Frei/Anja Frank (strontium). Karin Frei and her team finalized baseline manuscript for Greece (two), N Italy (one) and eastern Iberia (one), in addition to the already published on Cyprus. All published in international geological journals. Also, archaeological and strontium data for Scania were published. See publication list.
Subproject 4:
This project has been integrated into subproject 3 especially, but we also published an edited book Cambridge University press, where the results of this subproject were published in two major chapters (see publication list). The book received the Society of American Archaeology award for best scholarly work for 2023.
Publication and public outreach:
Our publications have mostly come out in international top journals, especially Nature, but also in PlosOne and others. We have always produced press releases on major publications that have reached a wide international audience. Thus, the press release for the four latest Nature papers were published in more than 700 global media within two days, including BBC, CNN, New York times, as well as local Danish and Swedish newspapers, TV and radio.
Kristian Kristiansen and Karl-Göran Sjögren participated in the successful Swedish TV series: Historien om Sverige. Kristian Kristiansen participated in two international podcasts as well, and he contributed to several popular science articles. A feature articles in WeekEnd avisen presented his research in 2023. Eske Willerslev participated in numerous TV features and programs on Danish TV, and two documentaries are in production.
Awards: the project has received a major award for its edited book on The Indo-European Puzzle Revisited, from the SAA for best scholarly work in 2023. Several of the PIs have received prestigious awards: Kristian Kristiansen became foreign member of the British Academy in 2020