Mitochondrial DNA from El Mirador Cave (Atapuerca, Spain) Reveals the Heterogeneity of Chalcolithic Populations

A new analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from El Mirador Cave, Spain, challenges the notion that the Bell Beaker culture's expansion shaped the genetic landscape of Chalcolithic Europe. The study reveals that this Iberian population, dated to 4,760-4,200 years BP, shares affinities with Near Eastern groups and clusters genetically with Middle and Late Neolithic populations from Germany, rather than contemporaneous Bell Beakers. This suggests a heterogeneous genetic landscape among Chalcolithic groups in Europe, contradicting the assumption that haplogroup H's distribution was solely driven by the Bell Beaker culture's expansion. The research analyzed mtDNA sequences from 19 individuals, comparing them with modern and ancient populations to uncover these genetic connections.

Gómez-Sánchez, D., Olalde, I., Pierini, F., Matas-Lalueza, L., Gigli, E., Lari, M., Civit, S., Lozano, M., Vergès, J. M., Caramelli, D., Ramírez, O., & Lalueza-Fox, C. (2014). Mitochondrial DNA from El Mirador Cave (Atapuerca, Spain) Reveals the Heterogeneity of Chalcolithic Populations. PLoS ONE, 9(8), e105105. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0105105