Summary

The study “New Archaeogenetic Insights into the Albanian Bronze and Iron Age” analyzes ancient DNA from burials at the Kamenice Tumulus in southeastern Albania, dating from 1700–500 BCE. Unlike many parts of Central Europe where cremation destroyed DNA evidence, the site used inhumation burials, allowing researchers to extract genetic data.

Researchers analyzed genome-wide DNA from 230 individuals from Kamenice, plus additional individuals from North Macedonia and Bulgaria.

Key findings:

• The population at Kamenice showed long-term genetic stability and continuity from the Late Bronze Age into the Iron Age.
• People at the site were part of a regional kinship network extending over 300 km, with biological relationships detected up to the 10th degree.
• Around 750 BCE, there was a partial turnover of male lineages, suggesting changes in social or political structures within a patrilineal society.
• This genetic shift coincides with archaeological changes in burial structures and symbols at the tumulus.

Overall conclusion:
The study reveals that while the local population remained largely stable genetically, social transformations—especially involving male lineage leadership—occurred during the Iron Age, reflecting broader cultural changes in the region.

Transcribed:

“687. NEW ARCHAEOGENETIC INSIGHTS INTO THE ALBANIAN BRONZE AND IRON AGE

Contribution format: Oral

Contribution authors:
Xiaowen Jia (Ludwig Maximilian University Munich | Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology | Max Planck Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM)) –
Eirini Skourtanioti (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology | Max Planck Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM)) –
Daniela Heilmann (Ludwig Maximilian University Munich | German Archaeological Institute) –
Lorenc Bejko – Maria Amore – Skender Aliu – Iris Pojani (University of Tirana) –
Johannes Krause (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology | Max Planck Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM)) –
Philipp Stockhammer (Ludwig Maximilian University Munich | Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology | Max Planck Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM)) –
Harald Ringbauer (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology | Max Planck Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM))

Situated at the interface of the Aegean and the Adriatic in southeastern Albania, the Kamenice Tumulus functioned predominantly as an inhumation burial site from 1700 to 500 BCE. This stands in contrast to the prevailing cremation rituals observed in Central Europe during the same period, which have typically impeded insights into archaeogenetic progressions. In this work, we generated genome-wide SNP data for 230 individuals buried in Kamenice over its complete historical span, alongside 19 Iron Age individuals from North Macedonia and 2 Late Bronze Age individuals from southwestern Bulgaria.

Our comprehensive dataset provides the unique and first possibility for insights into, on the one hand, genetic continuities and changes of Late Bronze Age and Iron Age Albania; on the other hand, the function and meaning of tumuli in prehistoric Europe. Different societal transformations identified in the wider region are associated with a genetically stable and genealogically continuous population at Kamenice.

Our results indicate that the local population maintained a distinct genetic profile while participating in a regional kinship network extending over 300 kilometers, as demonstrated through identified biological relatedness up to the 10th degree. Moreover, for the first time, we found evidence linking a partial turnover of male lineages around 750 BCE in a patrilineal society to a substantial shift in the structure and material symbols of the tumulus.”

Article:

New Archaeogenetic Insights into the Albanian Bronze and Iron Age

Abstract

Recent advances in archaeogenetics have made it possible to reconstruct population histories using ancient DNA. This study examines genetic continuity and social organization in southeastern Albania during the Bronze and Iron Ages through genome-wide analysis of individuals buried in the Kamenice Tumulus. By analyzing 230 individuals from the burial site and comparative samples from neighboring regions, the study provides new insights into kinship structures, regional population dynamics, and transformations in male lineage patterns around 750 BCE.

Introduction

Understanding population dynamics during the Bronze and Iron Ages in Southeastern Europe remains a significant challenge due to limited preservation of biological material and the widespread practice of cremation burials in many parts of Europe. Cremation often destroys DNA, limiting the ability of researchers to reconstruct genetic relationships and population histories.

However, in southeastern Albania, the Kamenice Tumulus presents a unique opportunity for archaeogenetic research. Unlike much of Central Europe, burial practices at this site predominantly involved inhumation rather than cremation. This preservation allows for large-scale genomic analysis spanning several centuries.

This study focuses on investigating genetic continuity, kinship structures, and demographic changes within the populations associated with the Kamenice burial complex between 1700 BCE and 500 BCE.

Materials and Methods

The research team generated genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from ancient human remains excavated at the Kamenice Tumulus site. The dataset includes:

• 230 individuals from Kamenice covering the site’s full chronological range
• 19 Iron Age individuals from North Macedonia
• 2 Late Bronze Age individuals from southwestern Bulgaria

Ancient DNA extraction and sequencing techniques were used to reconstruct genomic profiles. Genetic relatedness analyses allowed researchers to identify biological kinship among individuals and to evaluate broader population connections across the region.

Results

Genetic Continuity

The genetic data indicate that the population buried at Kamenice remained largely stable over many centuries. Despite evidence of social and cultural transformations in the wider region, the core population displayed strong genealogical continuity.

Regional Kinship Networks

Although genetically distinct from surrounding groups, the Kamenice population was not isolated. Kinship analyses revealed biological relationships extending across distances of more than 300 kilometers, with detectable relatedness reaching up to the 10th degree. This suggests the existence of extensive regional social networks linking multiple communities.

Male Lineage Turnover

One of the most significant findings concerns a partial replacement of male lineages around 750 BCE. Genetic evidence indicates a shift in Y-chromosome lineages during this period. The timing of this change coincides with archaeological evidence for substantial alterations in the structure and symbolic material culture of the tumulus burials.

These patterns suggest that social transformations—possibly involving elite replacement, migration, or shifts in power structures—occurred within a patrilineal societal framework.

Discussion

The results highlight the importance of burial traditions in enabling archaeogenetic research. The inhumation practices at Kamenice preserved genetic material that would otherwise have been destroyed by cremation, allowing for unprecedented insight into long-term population dynamics in the region.

The combination of genetic stability and changing male lineages suggests a complex social structure. While the broader community remained relatively stable, shifts in male lineage dominance may reflect political or social restructuring rather than large-scale population replacement.

Furthermore, the extensive kinship network spanning hundreds of kilometers indicates that Bronze and Iron Age communities in the Balkans maintained significant regional connectivity.

Conclusion

This archaeogenetic study of the Kamenice Tumulus provides one of the most detailed genetic reconstructions of Bronze and Iron Age populations in southeastern Europe. The findings demonstrate:

• Long-term genetic continuity in the local population
• Participation in large regional kinship networks
• Evidence of male lineage turnover around 750 BCE linked to social transformations

These results contribute significantly to our understanding of prehistoric population structures and social organization in the Balkans.