Archaeogenetic data on individuals from an ancient mass burial at Chekups-2 (Krasnodar Krai)

Abstract

Introduction. During archaeological excavations at the multilayered settlement Chekups-2 in the Krymsky District of Krasnodar Krai, which spans a broad chronological range from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages, a storage pit was discovered containing
34 skulls exhibiting trauma and signs of scalping. Archaeological dating of the find proved difficult, as did attribution of the deceased to any archeological culture.

Materials and Methods. The best-preserved skulls from sixteen individuals were selected for analysis. Ancient DNA (aDNA) was extracted from the petrous part of the temporal bones, fragment libraries were prepared, and whole-genome sequencing was performed followed by bioinformatic analysis.

Results. Direct radiocarbon dating established that the burial dates to the Classical/Antiquity period. Genome sequencing showed that all analyzed skulls belonged to male individuals. Analysis of autosomal genetic markers as well as mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome haplogroups revealed no close kinship (1st–3rd degree) among the examined individuals, nor kinship along exclusively paternal or maternal lines. The mitochondrial sequences of the individuals belong to different haplogroups (U1b2d, U1b2d1, U1a1a1b, U5a1b1, T2d2a1a, T2l, W1i2, N1b1b, I1, X4a3a, X4a3, H, H4, H80, H55, HV4b1). Y-chromosome haplogroups were determined for ten samples: seven individuals belong to haplogroup J2a1 and three to haplogroup G2a2.

Conclusion. For the first time, data have been obtained that clarify the historical period of this burial. Uniparental marker results demonstrate continuity between the studied individuals and populations of the Scythian period, opening new prospects for further testing hypotheses about the origin of these people and the historical reasons for their death.

Funding. This work was supported by a grant from the state program "Sirius" Federal Territory "Scientific and Technological Development of the Sirius; Federal Territory", Agreement № 18-03 dated September 10th, 2024 (G.M.S., M.A.D., R.E.V.)

Supplementary files are available here

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