Female migration in Medieval Bavaria

Researchers used genomic analyses to explore demographic processes in the 5th and 6th centuries AD in southern Germany. The genetic structure of modern Europeans is correlated with geographical location, but genetic analyses of prehistoric humans hint at waves of immigration during periods of cultural change. Joachim Burger and colleagues used population genomic analyses to examine fossils from 36 individuals from archaeological sites in present-day Bavaria in southern Germany. The fossils were largely dated to around the late 5th and early 6th century AD, a period of profound cultural transformation in Europe. In general, the individuals exhibited a central and northern European ancestry. However, several of the women exhibited clear signs of artificial cranial deformation (ACD), a practice observed as early as the 2nd century AD in Europe, with potential Asian origins associated with the Huns. The ancestry of ACD women reflected a predominantly southeastern European origin, where the earliest and largest accumulation of European ACD burials occurred. Moreover, at least one individual exhibited East Asian ancestry, demonstrating a high degree of genetic heterogeneity among the ACD women. Given the genetic and phenotypic differentiation between individuals with and without ACD, the authors suggest that the women likely migrated as part of a system aimed at forming strategic alliances in the region. According to the authors, the findings uncover insights into the cultural and genetic landscape in modern Europe.

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Article #17-19880: "Population genomic analysis of elongated skulls reveals extensive female-biased immigration in Early Medieval Bavaria," by Krishna Veeramah et al.

MEDIA CONTACT: Joachim Burger, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, GERMANY; tel: +4961313920981, +4961313924489; e-mail: <jburger@uni-mainz.de>

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