Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d’en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain)

Summary: Mas d’en Boixos is a key prehistoric site in Northeastern Iberia spanning from the Early Neolithic to the Late Iron Age. We analyzed genome-wide data from eight individuals and ten mitogenomes, dated to the Middle Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, alongside three previously published Iron Age...

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Main Authors: Xavier Roca-Rada, Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre, Diana C. Vinueza-Espinosa, Roberta Davidson, Shyamsundar Ravishankar, Leonard Taufik, Núria Armentano, Xavier Esteve, Yassine Souilmi, João C. Teixeira, Assumpció Malgosa, Bastien Llamas, Cristina Santos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:iScience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011320
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author Xavier Roca-Rada
Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre
Diana C. Vinueza-Espinosa
Roberta Davidson
Shyamsundar Ravishankar
Leonard Taufik
Núria Armentano
Xavier Esteve
Yassine Souilmi
João C. Teixeira
Assumpció Malgosa
Bastien Llamas
Cristina Santos
author_facet Xavier Roca-Rada
Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre
Diana C. Vinueza-Espinosa
Roberta Davidson
Shyamsundar Ravishankar
Leonard Taufik
Núria Armentano
Xavier Esteve
Yassine Souilmi
João C. Teixeira
Assumpció Malgosa
Bastien Llamas
Cristina Santos
author_sort Xavier Roca-Rada
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Mas d’en Boixos is a key prehistoric site in Northeastern Iberia spanning from the Early Neolithic to the Late Iron Age. We analyzed genome-wide data from eight individuals and ten mitogenomes, dated to the Middle Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, alongside three previously published Iron Age individuals. Two Middle Neolithic individuals buried together were first-degree maternal relatives and carried Western Hunter-Gatherer, Anatolian, and residual Magdalenian-associated ancestries. Conversely, six Early Bronze Age individuals buried in a hypogeum exhibited distinct mitochondrial lineages. Among them, three were third-degree relatives, and all males shared a Y-chromosome lineage, consistent with a collective burial of an extended family within a patrilocal society practicing possible female exogamy. These individuals showed genetic continuity with additional Steppe-related ancestry, which displayed a subtle southward gradient across Iberia. We also identified an Eastern European mitochondrial lineage—challenging the proposed male-driven Bronze Age transition—and Mediterranean gene flow—suggesting dynamic interactions across the sea.
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spelling doaj-art-9cfcf4f3b62c4f97995342a9bcfc83ac2025-08-20T03:28:14ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422025-07-0128711287110.1016/j.isci.2025.112871Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d’en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain)Xavier Roca-Rada0Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre1Diana C. Vinueza-Espinosa2Roberta Davidson3Shyamsundar Ravishankar4Leonard Taufik5Núria Armentano6Xavier Esteve7Yassine Souilmi8João C. Teixeira9Assumpció Malgosa10Bastien Llamas11Cristina Santos12Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Corresponding author:Unitat Antropologia Biològica and GREAB – Grup de Recerca en Antropologia Biològica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainUnitat Antropologia Biològica and GREAB – Grup de Recerca en Antropologia Biològica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainAustralian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaAustralian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaAustralian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Indigenous Genomics, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang, IndonesiaUnitat Antropologia Biològica and GREAB – Grup de Recerca en Antropologia Biològica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya, Barcelona, SpainServei de Patrimoni Arqueològic i Paleontològic-Generalitat de Catalunya, ERAAUB, IAUB, Barcelona, SpainAustralian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Indigenous Genomics, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, AustraliaAustralian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Evolution of Cultural Diversity Initiative, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PortugalUnitat Antropologia Biològica and GREAB – Grup de Recerca en Antropologia Biològica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainAustralian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Indigenous Genomics, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaUnitat Antropologia Biològica and GREAB – Grup de Recerca en Antropologia Biològica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Corresponding authorSummary: Mas d’en Boixos is a key prehistoric site in Northeastern Iberia spanning from the Early Neolithic to the Late Iron Age. We analyzed genome-wide data from eight individuals and ten mitogenomes, dated to the Middle Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, alongside three previously published Iron Age individuals. Two Middle Neolithic individuals buried together were first-degree maternal relatives and carried Western Hunter-Gatherer, Anatolian, and residual Magdalenian-associated ancestries. Conversely, six Early Bronze Age individuals buried in a hypogeum exhibited distinct mitochondrial lineages. Among them, three were third-degree relatives, and all males shared a Y-chromosome lineage, consistent with a collective burial of an extended family within a patrilocal society practicing possible female exogamy. These individuals showed genetic continuity with additional Steppe-related ancestry, which displayed a subtle southward gradient across Iberia. We also identified an Eastern European mitochondrial lineage—challenging the proposed male-driven Bronze Age transition—and Mediterranean gene flow—suggesting dynamic interactions across the sea.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011320Human geneticsBiological sciencesPaleobiology
spellingShingle Xavier Roca-Rada
Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre
Diana C. Vinueza-Espinosa
Roberta Davidson
Shyamsundar Ravishankar
Leonard Taufik
Núria Armentano
Xavier Esteve
Yassine Souilmi
João C. Teixeira
Assumpció Malgosa
Bastien Llamas
Cristina Santos
Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d’en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain)
iScience
Human genetics
Biological sciences
Paleobiology
title Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d’en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain)
title_full Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d’en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain)
title_fullStr Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d’en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain)
title_full_unstemmed Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d’en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain)
title_short Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d’en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain)
title_sort genetic transitions in the neolithic and bronze age at mas d en boixos catalonia spain
topic Human genetics
Biological sciences
Paleobiology
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225011320
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