A Multi-species study of biological and social relatedness in Neolithic Sweden

We propose a multi-species and multi-method study of human and animal biological, economic, and social relatedness, employing genetic and isotopic methods combined with osteological and archaeological data.

The project will focus on Neolithic humans and domestic animals from western Sweden and consists of four parts: Kinship, biology and social structure, Animal biological relatedness, Human and animal diseases, Sr isotopes and mobility.

We will use recent advances in the analysis of ancient DNA, which can now detect fine-scale genetic relations between individuals, to identify biological kinship relations among humans and among domestic animals on different spatial scales.We will also detect pathogens in both humans and animals and investigate the role of animals as reservoirs and transmitters of zoonotic diseases as well as the disease load in Neolithic herds.By contributing knowledge about Neolithic human kinship systems, the project will contribute an important case to the still limited number of such studies and will give us hitherto unattainable level of insight into the functioning of prehistoric societies.In depth studies of several contemporary burial sites within a restricted area will significantly enhance our understanding of the complexity of the Neolithic megalithic landscape.

To outline how biological relations are socially embedded and spatially distributed will be a significant step forward in the research of Neolithic Europe.