Ancient DNA sheds light on the funerary practices of late Neolithic collective burial in southern France
Résumé
In southern France, collective burials became widespread during the second half of
the 4th millennium BCE. The social motivation underlying these practices remains largely
discussed among scholars. The Aven de la Boucle (Corconne, Gard, Southern France) is a karst
shaft that was used as a collective burial between 3,600 and 2,800 BCE. The site encompasses
the skeletal remains of approximately 75 individuals, represented by scattered and
commingled remains with a large majority of adult individuals. Here, we combined evidence
from archaeology, anthropology, Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon dates and genomic data
to shed light on the genetic profiles, relationships and funerary practices of this community.
Among the 37 individuals analysed through the palaegenomic study, 76% were male,
suggesting marked sex-biased selection. Additionally, available data stressed biological
relatedness and the affiliation with specific male lineages as preponderant selection factors in
the collective burial. This study enabled us to examine the use of this sepulchral cavity more
precisely. Finally, we could argue in favour of “continuous” deposits between 3,600 and 2,800
BCE, carried out by the same community, despite cultural changes reflected by the material
culture by combining Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon dates and genomic results. Thus, our
study further illustrates the potential of multidisciplinary approaches to the interpretation of
social structure and funerary rites of Neolithic groups.