Project description:We present the analysis of an osseous finger ring from an early Neolithic context in Denmark. To characterise the artefact and identify the raw material used for its manufacture, we performed micro-computed tomography (Micro CT) scanning, zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) peptide mass fingerprinting, as well as protein sequencing by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We found that the ring was made from long bone or antler due to the presence of osteons (Haversian canals). Subsequent ZooMS analysis of the collagen present indicated that it was made from either elk (Alces alces) or red deer (Cervus elaphus) material. We then used LC-MS/MS analysis to refine our species identification, confirming that the ring was made from red deer, and to examine other proteins present. This study demonstrates the potential of ancient proteomics for species identification of prehistoric artefacts made from osseous material.
Project description:As a historical nomadic group in Central Asia, Kazaks have mainly inhabited the steppe zone from the Altay Mountains in the East to the Caspian Sea in the West. Fine scale characterization of the genetic profile and population structure of Kazaks would be invaluable for understanding their population history and modeling prehistoric human expansions across the Eurasian steppes. With this mind, we characterized the maternal lineages of 200 Kazaks from Jetisuu at mitochondrial genome level. Our results reveal that Jetisuu Kazaks have unique mtDNA haplotypes including those belonging to the basal branches of both West Eurasian (R0, H, HV) and East Eurasian (A, B, C, D) lineages. The great diversity observed in their maternal lineages may reflect pivotal geographic location of Kazaks in Eurasia and implies a complex population history. Comparative analyses of mitochondrial genomes of human populations in Central Eurasia reveal a common maternal genetic ancestry for Turko-Mongolian speakers and their expansion being responsible for the presence of East Eurasian maternal lineages in Central Eurasia. In addition, our analyses indicate maternal genetic affinity between the Sherpas from the Tibetan Plateau with the Turko-Mongolian speakers.