Manifestaciones simbólicas en el acceso Noreste del Recinto 4 de Foso en Camino de las Yeseras (San Fernando de Henares, Madrid)

Este trabajo presenta las características de una de las entradas documentadas en el foso 4 de Camino de las Yeseras, la mejor conocida y estudiada hasta el momento de todos los recintos de foso del yacimiento.Como ocurre con otros recintos de foso peninsulares y europeos, las zonas de acceso o tránsito son propensas a contener depósitos estructurados o presentar un carácter más singular en la naturaleza de sus contenidos. El objetivo de este trabajo es el de contextualizar si también en este caso la secuencia de colmatación del foso permite confirmar reiteradas actividades antrópicas que implican una manifiesta intencionalidad en los depósitos o si los rellenos son el resultado de una colmatación por abandono.La localización y estudio de estas zonas singulares supone un acercamiento cada vez más habitual en los trabajos sobre recintos peninsulares como vía de análisis de estas estructuras, tras unos primeros años de aproximaciones más procesualistas y materialistas sobre el tema centradas en la capacidad de estos asentamientos para agregar población, así como el grado de complejidad social desarrollado para llevar a cabo este tipo de construcciones. De este modo, en una primera parte del texto se revisa la ubicación del recinto 4 así como la orientación del acceso dentro del conjunto de recintos hasta hoy conocido y en relación a la topografía natural añadiendo, a lo ya conocido en publicaciones anteriores, algunas consideraciones astronómicas a la organización del espacio y a la estructuración arquitectónica de los fosos.En una segunda parte se describen los rellenos del foso en el acceso además de las principales características de los materiales que contienen y se hace una propuesta de secuencia temporal. La interpretación final que se propone sugiere la consideración del acceso como un lugar destacado en los recintos, en torno al cual se realizaban determinadas prácticas de carácter simbólico en las que los animales tienen especial significado, particularmente los perros dada la cantidad de restos y la singularidad de algunos de los depósitos relacionados con esta especie

A space for the living and the dead: The Chalcolithic ditched enclosured settlement of Camino de las Yeseras (San Fernando de Henares, Madrid)

Se presentan los resultados preliminares de la excavación de un gran poblado de fosos calcolítico, cuya situación estratégica ayudó a ser un centro de producción e intercambio de excedentes en materias primas (sílex, granito y piedras metamórficas) y productos agropecuarios e industriales por otros foráneos (cobre, variscita, cinabrio, marfil y oro). Los rituales funerarios son de una gran variedad, individuales y colectivos, en covachas e hipogeos, con o sin ajuar campaniforme, algunos de los últimos con ricos ajuares áureos y ebúrneos. Los datos óseos de algunos inhumados campaniformes apuntan a un aspecto físico muy llamativo en vida, mientras los depósitos con fauna, en composición taxonómica variada, indican una compleja relación simbólica con el mundo animal. El yacimiento resulta clave para un mejor conocimiento del período calcolítico y el impacto campaniforme y sus rituales funerarios en la consolidación y diferenciación de las primeras sociedades metalúrgicas del interior peninsularThe preliminary results are presented of the excavations in a large, ditched enclosured Chalcolithic settlement. The site was probably a central place in the production and long-distance exchange of surplus. The accumulations found of raw materials (flint, granite and metamorphic stones) and agricultural, stockbreeding and industrial products were exchanged by other foreign products (variscite, cinnabar, ivory and gold). Ritual data are also remarkable: a significant number of individual and collective burials have been recorded in pits, small artificial caves and hypogeos, delimited in special areas. The richer burials had Ciempozuelos-style Bell-beaker elements and prestige items, such as gold and ivory beads. Osteomorphic and size features of some Bell-beaker individuals point out a remarkable physical aspect during their life time. The faunal deposits, which included mixed species associations, evidence a complex symbolic relationship with animals. The site is essential for the knowledge of the Chalcolithic period and the impact of Bell-beaker customs and funerary rituals in the consolidation of social inequalities amidst the first metallurgical societies of the interior of the Iberian Peninsul

The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe

From around 2750 to 2500 bc, Bell Beaker pottery became widespread across western and central Europe, before it disappeared between 2200 and 1800 bc. The forces that propelled its expansion are a matter of long-standing debate, and there is support for both cultural diffusion and migration having a role in this process. Here we present genome-wide data from 400 Neolithic, Copper Age and Bronze Age Europeans, including 226 individuals associated with Beaker-complex artefacts. We detected limited genetic affinity between Beaker-complex-associated individuals from Iberia and central Europe, and thus exclude migration as an important mechanism of spread between these two regions. However, migration had a key role in the further dissemination of the Beaker complex. We document this phenomenon most clearly in Britain, where the spread of the Beaker complex introduced high levels of steppe-related ancestry and was associated with the replacement of approximately 90% of Britain’s gene pool within a few hundred years, continuing the east-to-west expansion that had brought steppe-related ancestry into central and northern Europe over the previous centuries

El yacimiento de “Camino de las Yeseras”. Una aproximación sedimentológica al estudio de algunas estructuras singulares: los fosos

This article contains a progress report on the sedimentological studies on ditched enclosures 4 and 6 from the Chalcolithic site of 'Camino de Las Yeseras’ (Madrid, Spain). Due to the natural features on which the site stands, and using different analyses (particle size, texture, x-ray diffraction, and other physico-chemical studies), we were able to differentiate natural fillings from those anthropogenic in origin and, at the same time, establish theevolution of these structures’ infilling. In this contribution we want to emphasize that the use of sedimentological techniques is essential when interpreting the use and clogging dynamics within the boundaries of ditched enclosures.Este artículo contiene un avance de los estudios sedimentológicos realizados a los fosos 4 y 6 del yacimiento Calcolítico de "Camino de las Yeseras" (Madrid, España). Debido a las condiciones naturales en las que se asienta el yacimiento, y empleando distintos tipos de análisis (tamaño de las partículas, texturas, Difracción de Rayos-X y otros análisis de carácter fisico-químico), hemos podido diferenciar rellenos naturales de los de origen antrópico, a la vez, que hemos establecido los procesos de colmatación de estas infraestructuras.  En esta aportación queremos enfatizar que el empleo de las técnicas sedimentológicas es una herramienta imprescindible para interpretar la dinámica de uso y de colmatación en los recintos de  fosos.

Manifestaciones simbólicas en el acceso Noreste del Recinto 4 del Foso en Camino de las Yeseras (San Fernando de Henares, Madrid)

This paper presents the characteristics of one of the entrances documented in the ditched enclosure 4 from Camino de las Yeseras: the best known and studied of all ditched enclosures of this site to date. As in other Iberian or European ditched enclosures, this study is focus on understanding that the access or transit areas are the most likely to contain structured deposits or deposits with a special character. The location and study of these strategicall areas represents an increasingly common approach on Iberian enclosures investigations, after several processualists and materialist approaches focused on the capacity of aggregation and the degree of social complexity developed to perform this type of construction. Thus, in the first part of the paper the location of the enclosure 4 is revised, and the orientation of access within the set of known enclosures as well as the relationship to the natural topography is analyzed. This increases our knowledge to what is already known in previous publications with some cosmological and astronomical considerations on the spatial organization and the architectural structure of the ditches. In the second part, enclosure fillings in the access area, as well as the main characteristics of the artefacts are described. Temporal sequence of the filling is also proposed. The final interpretation suggests that this access would be an outstanding place in the enclosure 4, around which certain symbolic practices were held. In these actions of structured depositions animals have special consideration, particularly dogs, given the amount of their remains and uniqueness of some of the deposits related to this species.Este trabajo presenta las características de una de las entradas documentadas en el foso 4 de Camino de las Yeseras, la mejor conocida y estudiada hasta el momento de todos los recintos de foso del yacimiento. Como ocurre con otros recintos de foso peninsulares y europeos, las zonas de acceso o tránsito son propensas a contener depósitos estructurados o presentar un carácter más singular en la naturaleza de sus contenidos. El objetivo de este trabajo es el de contextualizar si también en este caso la secuencia de colmatación del foso permite confirmar reiteradas actividades antrópicas que implican una manifiesta intencionalidad en los depósitos o si los rellenos son el resultado de una colmatación por abandono. La localización y estudio de estas zonas singulares supone un acercamiento cada vez más habitual en los trabajos sobre recintos peninsulares como vía de análisis de estas estructuras, tras unos primeros años de aproximaciones más procesualistas y materialistas sobre el tema centradas en la capacidad de estos asentamientos para agregar población, así como el grado de complejidad social desarrollado para llevar a cabo este tipo de construcciones. De este modo, en una primera parte del texto se revisa la ubicación del recinto 4 así como la orientación del acceso dentro del conjunto de recintos hasta hoy conocido y en relación a la topografía natural añadiendo, a lo ya conocido en publicaciones anteriores, algunas consideraciones astronómicas a la organización del espacio y a la estructuración arquitectónica de los fosos. En una segunda parte se describen los rellenos del foso en el acceso además de las principales características de los materiales que contienen y se hace una propuesta de secuencia temporal. La interpretación final que se propone sugiere la consideración del acceso como un lugar destacado en los recintos, en torno al cual se realizaban determinadas prácticas de carácter simbólico en las que los animales tienen especial significado, particularmente los perros dada la cantidad de restos y la singularidad de algunos de los depósitos relacionados con esta especie

The maternal genetic make-up of the Iberian Peninsula between the Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age

Abstract Agriculture first reached the Iberian Peninsula around 5700 BCE. However, little is known about the genetic structure and changes of prehistoric populations in different geographic areas of Iberia. In our study, we focus on the maternal genetic makeup of the Neolithic (~ 5500–3000 BCE), Chalcolithic (~ 3000–2200 BCE) and Early Bronze Age (~ 2200–1500 BCE). We report ancient mitochondrial DNA results of 213 individuals (151 HVS-I sequences) from the northeast, central, southeast and southwest regions and thus on the largest archaeogenetic dataset from the Peninsula to date. Similar to other parts of Europe, we observe a discontinuity between hunter-gatherers and the first farmers of the Neolithic. During the subsequent periods, we detect regional continuity of Early Neolithic lineages across Iberia, however the genetic contribution of hunter-gatherers is generally higher than in other parts of Europe and varies regionally. In contrast to ancient DNA findings from Central Europe, we do not observe a major turnover in the mtDNA record of the Iberian Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, suggesting that the population history of the Iberian Peninsula is distinct in character

Population Genomics of Stone Age Eurasia

Summary The transitions from foraging to farming and later to pastoralism in Stone Age Eurasia (c. 11-3 thousand years before present, BP) represent some of the most dramatic lifestyle changes in human evolution. We sequenced 317 genomes of primarily Mesolithic and Neolithic individuals from across Eurasia combined with radiocarbon dates, stable isotope data, and pollen records. Genome imputation and co-analysis with previously published shotgun sequencing data resulted in >1600 complete ancient genome sequences offering fine-grained resolution into the Stone Age populations. We observe that: 1) Hunter-gatherer groups were more genetically diverse than previously known, and deeply divergent between western and eastern Eurasia. 2) We identify hitherto genetically undescribed hunter-gatherers from the Middle Don region that contributed ancestry to the later Yamnaya steppe pastoralists; 3) The genetic impact of the Neolithic transition was highly distinct, east and west of a boundary zone extending from the Black Sea to the Baltic. Large-scale shifts in genetic ancestry occurred to the west of this “Great Divide”, including an almost complete replacement of hunter-gatherers in Denmark, while no substantial ancestry shifts took place during the same period to the east. This difference is also reflected in genetic relatedness within the populations, decreasing substantially in the west but not in the east where it remained high until c. 4,000 BP; 4) The second major genetic transformation around 5,000 BP happened at a much faster pace with Steppe-related ancestry reaching most parts of Europe within 1,000-years. Local Neolithic farmers admixed with incoming pastoralists in eastern, western, and southern Europe whereas Scandinavia experienced another near-complete population replacement. Similar dramatic turnover-patterns are evident in western Siberia; 5) Extensive regional differences in the ancestry components involved in these early events remain visible to this day, even within countries. Neolithic farmer ancestry is highest in southern and eastern England while Steppe-related ancestry is highest in the Celtic populations of Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall (this research has been conducted using the UK Biobank resource); 6) Shifts in diet, lifestyle and environment introduced new selection pressures involving at least 21 genomic regions. Most such variants were not universally selected across populations but were only advantageous in particular ancestral backgrounds. Contrary to previous claims, we find that selection on the FADS regions, associated with fatty acid metabolism, began before the Neolithisation of Europe. Similarly, the lactase persistence allele started increasing in frequency before the expansion of Steppe-related groups into Europe and has continued to increase up to the present. Along the genetic cline separating Mesolithic hunter-gatherers from Neolithic farmers, we find significant correlations with trait associations related to skin disorders, diet and lifestyle and mental health status, suggesting marked phenotypic differences between these groups with very different lifestyles. This work provides new insights into major transformations in recent human evolution, elucidating the complex interplay between selection and admixture that shaped patterns of genetic variation in modern populations

Population genomics of post-glacial western Eurasia

Western Eurasia witnessed several large-scale human migrations during the Holocene1,2,3,4,5. Here, to investigate the cross-continental effects of these migrations, we shotgun-sequenced 317 genomes—mainly from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods—from across northern and western Eurasia. These were imputed alongside published data to obtain diploid genotypes from more than 1,600 ancient humans. Our analyses revealed a ‘great divide’ genomic boundary extending from the Black Sea to the Baltic. Mesolithic hunter-gatherers were highly genetically differentiated east and west of this zone, and the effect of the neolithization was equally disparate. Large-scale ancestry shifts occurred in the west as farming was introduced, including near-total replacement of hunter-gatherers in many areas, whereas no substantial ancestry shifts happened east of the zone during the same period. Similarly, relatedness decreased in the west from the Neolithic transition onwards, whereas, east of the Urals, relatedness remained high until around 4,000 bp, consistent with the persistence of localized groups of hunter-gatherers. The boundary dissolved when Yamnaya-related ancestry spread across western Eurasia around 5,000 bp, resulting in a second major turnover that reached most parts of Europe within a 1,000-year span. The genetic origin and fate of the Yamnaya have remained elusive, but we show that hunter-gatherers from the Middle Don region contributed ancestry to them. Yamnaya groups later admixed with individuals associated with the Globular Amphora culture before expanding into Europe. Similar turnovers occurred in western Siberia, where we report new genomic data from a ‘Neolithic steppe’ cline spanning the Siberian forest steppe to Lake Baikal. These prehistoric migrations had profound and lasting effects on the genetic diversity of Eurasian populations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Population genomics of post-glacial western Eurasia

Western Eurasia witnessed several large-scale human migrations during the Holocene1–5. Here, to investigate the cross-continental effects of these migrations, we shotgun-sequenced 317 genomes—mainly from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods—from across northern and western Eurasia. These were imputed alongside published data to obtain diploid genotypes from more than 1,600 ancient humans. Our analyses revealed a ‘great divide’ genomic boundary extending from the Black Sea to the Baltic. Mesolithic hunter-gatherers were highly genetically differentiated east and west of this zone, and the effect of the neolithization was equally disparate. Large-scale ancestry shifts occurred in the west as farming was introduced, including near-total replacement of hunter-gatherers in many areas, whereas no substantial ancestry shifts happened east of the zone during the same period. Similarly, relatedness decreased in the west from the Neolithic transition onwards, whereas, east of the Urals, relatedness remained high until around 4,000 bp, consistent with the persistence of localized groups of hunter-gatherers. The boundary dissolved when Yamnaya-related ancestry spread across western Eurasia around 5,000 bp, resulting in a second major turnover that reached most parts of Europe within a 1,000-year span. The genetic origin and fate of the Yamnaya have remained elusive, but we show that hunter-gatherers from the Middle Don region contributed ancestry to them. Yamnaya groups later admixed with individuals associated with the Globular Amphora culture before expanding into Europe. Similar turnovers occurred in western Siberia, where we report new genomic data from a ‘Neolithic steppe’ cline spanning the Siberian forest steppe to Lake Baikal. These prehistoric migrations had profound and lasting effects on the genetic diversity of Eurasian populations

Population genomics of post-glacial western Eurasia

AbstractWestern Eurasia witnessed several large-scale human migrations during the Holocene1–5. Here, to investigate the cross-continental effects of these migrations, we shotgun-sequenced 317 genomes—mainly from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods—from across northern and western Eurasia. These were imputed alongside published data to obtain diploid genotypes from more than 1,600 ancient humans. Our analyses revealed a ‘great divide’ genomic boundary extending from the Black Sea to the Baltic. Mesolithic hunter-gatherers were highly genetically differentiated east and west of this zone, and the effect of the neolithization was equally disparate. Large-scale ancestry shifts occurred in the west as farming was introduced, including near-total replacement of hunter-gatherers in many areas, whereas no substantial ancestry shifts happened east of the zone during the same period. Similarly, relatedness decreased in the west from the Neolithic transition onwards, whereas, east of the Urals, relatedness remained high until around 4,000 bp, consistent with the persistence of localized groups of hunter-gatherers. The boundary dissolved when Yamnaya-related ancestry spread across western Eurasia around 5,000 bp, resulting in a second major turnover that reached most parts of Europe within a 1,000-year span. The genetic origin and fate of the Yamnaya have remained elusive, but we show that hunter-gatherers from the Middle Don region contributed ancestry to them. Yamnaya groups later admixed with individuals associated with the Globular Amphora culture before expanding into Europe. Similar turnovers occurred in western Siberia, where we report new genomic data from a ‘Neolithic steppe’ cline spanning the Siberian forest steppe to Lake Baikal. These prehistoric migrations had profound and lasting effects on the genetic diversity of Eurasian populations.</jats:p