Ancient Dna Reveals How Bronze Age Europeans Adapted To A Changing World

The Late Bronze Age was a time of major change in Central Europe. Burial customs and farming methods evolved as different communities became more connected. Still, many details about daily life in this era have remained unclear until now.

An interdisciplinary study recently published in Nature Communications provides a clearer picture of life in Central Europe between 1300 and 800 BCE, during the Urnfield culture. Researchers analyzed a combination of ancient DNA, isotope data, and archaeological discoveries to uncover new insights into the ancestry, mobility, diet, health, and burial traditions of Late Bronze Age communities.

“This study allows us to see how people lived through change,” lead author and PhD candidate at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Eleftheria Orfanou, said in a press release. “The Late Bronze Age was not experienced as a single moment of change, but as a series of choices, about food and subsistence strategies, burial, and social relationships, made within communities that were closely connected to their landscapes but also to their neighbours.”

A Window into the Urnfield World

The Urnfield period is known for the widespread adoption of cremation in communities across much of Bronze Age Europe, with the dead’s ashes carefully placed in ceramic urns. While archaeologists have long studied these burial practices, cremation destroys most biological material, leaving little usable evidence for genetic analysis.

Researchers instead focused on rare inhumation burials, where bodies were buried without cremation. Remains from sites found in present-day Germany, Czechia, and Poland preserved enough genetic material for ancient DNA analysis and isotopic measurements.

The team also analyzed strontium isotope ratios from both cremated and uncremated remains recovered from sites in Central Germany. These chemical signatures provided details about where the subjects grew up and if they had moved during their lives.

Cultural Change Without Replacement

The genetic data points to gradual shifts in ancestry that varied from region to region. In Central Europe, people formed increasing ties with communities located south and southeast of the Danube. However, new customs from these connections did not completely replace existing cultural traditions.

Isotopic data added another layer to the story of mobility, or lack thereof. Most people buried at these sites carried local isotope signatures, indicating they spent their entire lives in the same regions where they were buried. The evidence suggests that new ideas and customs spread through interaction and cultural exchange rather than arriving with large groups of newcomers.

Experimenting with New Crops

During this period, communities began eating broomcorn millet, a grain that had only recently spread west from northeastern China. Researchers believe this new crop may have offered a flexible solution to changing environmental or economic pressures.

However, millet never fully replaced older traditional staple crops. Later in the Late Bronze Age, people consumed significantly less millet and went back to primarily relying on crops like wheat and barley. This shows that Bronze Age communities experimented with new foods while also retaining traditional meals.

Health and Everyday Life

The research team also examined skeletal remains and ancient microbial DNA to analyze health and disease in these populations. They found bacteria linked to dental disease and other oral health issues, but no signs of serious widespread epidemics.

The skeletal remains showed signs of childhood stress, joint degeneration, and occasional injuries, all indicative of physically demanding lives. Despite these physical challenges, most individuals appear to have experienced generally good health during their lives.

A Complex Blend of Burial Traditions

Urnfield period communities practiced several forms of burial simultaneously, including cremation and inhumation, as well as skull-only deposits and multi-stage burial rites. These varied rituals appear to have formed part of a diverse cultural repertoire.

Researchers say these choices likely helped shape ideas about identity in Late Bronze Age societies. The genetic, archaeological, and isotopic evidence suggests these communities were dynamic and adaptable, actively weaving new ideas into local traditions.

“Change and innovation were incorporated into existing traditions. These communities actively shaped their lifeways and created hybrid practices that were locally meaningful within an increasingly interconnected world,” concludes Wolfgang Haak, leader of the project at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

Austin Burgess is a writer and researcher with a background in sales, marketing, and data analytics. He holds a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and a Data Analytics certification. His work combines analytical training with a focus on emerging science, aerospace, and astronomical research.