Parallelgesellschaften? Paläogenetik und stabile Isotopen an mesolithischen und neolithischen Menschenresten aus der Blätterhöhle

Abstract

Neolithic and Mesolithic human remains from the 9th and 4th millennium are rare for the area of the mid-range mountains (Sauerland) of Westphalia and elsewhere. The discovery of human remains in the cave site Blätterhöhle at Hagen in 2004 changed that picture. Available radiocarbon dates are between 9200 and 8600, and 3900 and 3000 cal BC and revealed a Late Neolithic age for the remains. Neolithic collective burials in caves and rockshelters are known for the 4th millennium BC in other areas (Belgium, British Isles, Ireland) but not for the Westphalian mid-range mountain. The Blätterhöhle provides the first clue that this burial practice might have also occurred in the region of northwest Germany with the border to the zone where megalithic collective burials occur only approximately 50 km away. Although from bioturbated sediments and without anatomical context the very well preserved human remains provide a rich source of information. A-DNA sampling showed results both for Mesolithic and Neolithic remains. The results suggest that the Mesolithic population of the Blätterhöhle represents a typical hunter-gatherer population (mitochondrial haplogroups U5/U4), whereas the Neolithic population seems to be an admixture of hunter-gatherer (haplogroup U5) and farmer lineages (haplogroup H and others). Additionally the analysis of stable Isotopes (13C/15N/34S) was carried out in order to reconstruct long-term diets. The results show three distinct clusters with significant differences. Terrestrial diet was evident both for the Mesolithic and a Neolithic group, but the diet of one Neolithic group was based on the consumption of freshwater fish. This group consists of people exclusively with haplogroup U5. This result demonstrates a “non-Neolithic” way of life in the 4th millennium.