Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics
Abstract Uncertainties regarding traditional osteological methods in biological sex estimation can often be overcome with genomic and proteomic analyses. The combination of the three methodologies has been used for a better understanding of the gender-related funerary rituals at the Iberian megalith...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-09-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-72148-x |
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| author | Marta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla Gonzalo Aranda Jiménez Margarita Sánchez Romero Rosa Fregel Katharina Rebay-Salisbury Fabian Kanz Miriam Vílchez Suárez Sonia Robles Carrasco Paula Becerra Fuello Alejandra C. Ordónez Michael Wolf Javier González Serrano Lara Milesi García |
| author_facet | Marta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla Gonzalo Aranda Jiménez Margarita Sánchez Romero Rosa Fregel Katharina Rebay-Salisbury Fabian Kanz Miriam Vílchez Suárez Sonia Robles Carrasco Paula Becerra Fuello Alejandra C. Ordónez Michael Wolf Javier González Serrano Lara Milesi García |
| author_sort | Marta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Uncertainties regarding traditional osteological methods in biological sex estimation can often be overcome with genomic and proteomic analyses. The combination of the three methodologies has been used for a better understanding of the gender-related funerary rituals at the Iberian megalithic cemetery of Panoría. As a result, 44 individuals have been sexed including, for the first time, non-adults. Contrary to the male bias found in many Iberian and European megalithic monuments, the Panoría population shows a clear sex ratio imbalance in favour of females, with twice as many females as males. Furthermore, this imbalance is found regardless of the criterion considered: sex ratio by tomb, chronological period, method of sex estimation, or age group. Biological relatedness was considered as possible sociocultural explanations for this female-related bias. However, the current results obtained for Panoría are indicative of a female-centred social structure potentially influencing rites and cultural traditions. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-09-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-da44bc46e9954a24900b496d5492f4be2025-08-20T03:52:20ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-09-0114111310.1038/s41598-024-72148-xFemale sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomicsMarta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla0Gonzalo Aranda Jiménez1Margarita Sánchez Romero 2Rosa Fregel3Katharina Rebay-Salisbury4Fabian Kanz5Miriam Vílchez Suárez6Sonia Robles Carrasco7Paula Becerra Fuello8Alejandra C. Ordónez9Michael Wolf10Javier González Serrano11Lara Milesi García12Institute for Pre- and Protohistory and Medieval Archaeology, University of TübingenDepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of GranadaDepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of GranadaDepartment of Biochemistry, Microbiology, Cell Biology and Genetics, Universidad de La LagunaDepartment of Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology, University of ViennaCenter for Forensic Medicine, Medical University of ViennaDepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of GranadaDepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of GranadaDepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of GranadaDepartment of Biochemistry, Microbiology, Cell Biology and Genetics, Universidad de La LagunaDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, University of ViennaDepartment of Biochemistry, Microbiology, Cell Biology and Genetics, Universidad de La LagunaDepartment of Historical Sciences, University of MalagaAbstract Uncertainties regarding traditional osteological methods in biological sex estimation can often be overcome with genomic and proteomic analyses. The combination of the three methodologies has been used for a better understanding of the gender-related funerary rituals at the Iberian megalithic cemetery of Panoría. As a result, 44 individuals have been sexed including, for the first time, non-adults. Contrary to the male bias found in many Iberian and European megalithic monuments, the Panoría population shows a clear sex ratio imbalance in favour of females, with twice as many females as males. Furthermore, this imbalance is found regardless of the criterion considered: sex ratio by tomb, chronological period, method of sex estimation, or age group. Biological relatedness was considered as possible sociocultural explanations for this female-related bias. However, the current results obtained for Panoría are indicative of a female-centred social structure potentially influencing rites and cultural traditions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-72148-xMegalithismIberian PeninsulaFunerary ritualGender archaeologyAmelogenin peptideMolecular sex |
| spellingShingle | Marta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla Gonzalo Aranda Jiménez Margarita Sánchez Romero Rosa Fregel Katharina Rebay-Salisbury Fabian Kanz Miriam Vílchez Suárez Sonia Robles Carrasco Paula Becerra Fuello Alejandra C. Ordónez Michael Wolf Javier González Serrano Lara Milesi García Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics Scientific Reports Megalithism Iberian Peninsula Funerary ritual Gender archaeology Amelogenin peptide Molecular sex |
| title | Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics |
| title_full | Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics |
| title_fullStr | Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics |
| title_short | Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics |
| title_sort | female sex bias in iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology adna and proteomics |
| topic | Megalithism Iberian Peninsula Funerary ritual Gender archaeology Amelogenin peptide Molecular sex |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-72148-x |
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