Ancient DNA reveals Ice Age Europeans maintained continent-wide genetic ties
New genetic analysis of 30,000-year-old remains shows eastern and western European populations were far more interconnected than previously thought.
What to know
- Ancient DNA analysis reveals Ice Age Europeans (30,000+ years ago) maintained genetic connections across vast continental distances, contradicting earlier models of isolated eastern and western populations.
- A woman from Isturitz Cave in southwestern France carried mixed ancestry from both western and central/eastern European groups, with admixture dated to 32,500–31,500 years ago.
- Researchers recovered human DNA directly from cave sediments without identifiable remains, expanding evidence of long-term regional genetic persistence through environmental shifts including the Last Glacial Maximum.
- Findings suggest the Gravettian culture maintained interconnected populations through gene flow and likely served as meeting places for different groups across Europe.
Pere Gelabert First author, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at University of ViennaRon Pinhasi Senior author, University of ViennaUniversity of Vienna Lead research institution
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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Team identifies evidence of long-term regional genetic persistence
While populations exchanged genes across distances, other ancient Europeans maintained continuous genetic presence in particular regions for thousands of years. Evidence from Chufín Cave in northern Spain and El Mirón Cave in Cantabria suggests western European ancestry persisted in southwestern Europe through the Last Glacial Maximum. Researchers recovered human DNA directly from cave sediments at El Mirón, obtaining about 14,000 genetic markers from a 22,000-year-old layer despite finding no identifiable human remains.
“Our results show that eastern and western European populations were not as genetically isolated as previously assumed. Gene flow across such large distances adds a new dimension to our understanding of how Gravettian populations were connected.”
— Pere Gelabert, First author, University of Vienna · source -
background
Woman from Isturitz Cave shows mixed ancestry across European regions — Remains of a woman who lived approximately 30,000 years ago in southwestern France at Isturitz Cave provided the oldest genome-wide genetic dataset from a modern human in southwestern Europe. Her DNA revealed ancestry linked to both western European populations and central/eastern European groups, with genetic modeling dating this admixture to between 32,500 and 31,500 years ago.
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University of Vienna team publishes genetic study of Ice Age European connectivity
Researchers analyzing ancient DNA from human remains and cave sediments discovered that Ice Age Europeans living more than 30,000 years ago were far more genetically connected across vast distances than previously believed. The study, published in Science Advances, challenges the long-held assumption that eastern and western European populations remained largely isolated.
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first by Science Daily, 6d ago · also Times of India
1 more headline
- 30,000-year-old French burial reveals Ice Age Europeans weren't isolated Times of India · 5d ago
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Ancient DNA shows Ice Age Europeans stayed connected across long distances People who lived in Europe more than 30,000 years ago were more connected than scientists believed. A team led by the University of Vienna found new genetic evidence of contact between...
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