US EditionStudy Finds Ancient European Hunter-Gatherers Used More Complex Cooking Methods Than Previously Thought
Analysis of 85 pottery shards from 13 European sites reveals region-specific recipes combining select plants and animals between 5,000 and 8,000 years ago, researchers said.
- Uppsala University analyzed family relationships in four Ajvide graves on Gotland, Sweden, from about 5,500 years ago, finding co-burials often included extended relatives, not just immediate family.
- Because preservation is rare, kinship studies of hunter-gatherer graves are scarce, so scientists extracted DNA from teeth and bones, while Helena Malmström designed the study to probe family lineages.
- Another grave contained a woman aged about 20 with two full‑sibling children and other burials included third‑degree relatives, likely cousins.
- The findings challenge assumptions as many co-burials at Ajvide, a significant Stone Age archaeological location with 85 known graves, involved second- or third-degree relatives.
- Researchers plan to study more than 70 individuals to deepen understanding of social structures after this pilot project on Scandinavian Neolithic hunter‑gatherers.
8 Articles
8 Articles
What was on the menu for Stone Age cooks? The results are surprising
Ancient European hunter-gatherers were far more advanced in their cooking methods than previously thought, a new study has found, combining ingredients in “remarkably selective” ways, with cuisines even varying by region.
5,500-Year-Old Graves Reveal Surprising Stone Age Family Secrets
Ancient DNA from Ajvide graves shows Stone Age burials often grouped extended relatives, highlighting the importance of wider kinship networks. One grave contained a young woman buried beside two small children who were not her own. In another burial, two children were placed together even though they were not siblings and were likely cousins. A [...]
A new study found that the ancient European hunters-collectors were much more advanced in their culinary methods than they had previously thought, combining ingredients in “notably selective” ways, with culinary ingredients that vary even from region to region. Researchers analyzed the residues of food burned on the sides of the panels called “food crosses”, and found that the cooks of the Stone Age used a variety of plant and animal products to…
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