Reference library / Sample profile

A man buried in France in the era

Explore the recorded context, genetic comparisons and research behind this reference sample.

FranceAncient Hunter-Gatherers of France

A reference profile describes this sample. It does not establish a personal or family relationship.

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Record

Sample details

Recorded details and available lineage markers.

Individual

France Hg individual, France

Sample ID: BerryAuBac

Date Range

5368 BCE - 5216 BCE

Cultural Period

Ancient Hunter-Gatherers of France

Biological Sex

Male

mtDNA Haplogroup

U5b1a

Y-DNA Haplogroup

I-M170

Social Role

Hunter (AI estimate, era-typical)

Geography

Location

Where this individual was discovered

Country France

Locality Berry Au Bac

Coordinates 49.2400, 3.5400

Chronology

Date range

When this individual lived in the broader context of human history

France Hg individual, France 5368 BCE - 5216 BCE

Context

Historical context

Background information associated with the reference record.

Overview

Ancient Hunter-Gatherers of France belong to the Mesolithic, a period characterized by mobile lifeways and flexible adaptation to changing post-glacial environments. Archaeology records regional variability in toolkits and settlement choices as groups exploited diverse ecological zones.

Region & Environment

France’s Mesolithic environments included coastal areas, riverine landscapes, wetlands, and inland forests. Over the span of the Mesolithic, changes in climate and vegetation affected animal distributions and the availability of plant resources, shaping where and when people camped.

Historical Context

The Mesolithic precedes the widespread adoption of farming in Europe. While long-distance contacts undoubtedly existed, the archaeological record most often reflects local adaptations to resources rather than large centralized political systems.

Populations & Lifeways

Hunter-gatherers managed food acquisition through seasonal rounds—moving between productive habitats as conditions changed. Their lifeways involved hunting and fishing, gathering wild plants, and making and maintaining stone tools for everyday tasks.

Archaeology & Material Culture

Mesolithic archaeology in France commonly relies on stone tool assemblages—especially microlithic or small cutting elements—along with evidence for hearths and knapping areas where preserved. Organic materials rarely survive well, but tool technology and site locations (near water and resource-rich zones) help reconstruct activity areas.

Culture & Society

Because populations were mobile, social organization is inferred mainly from patterns in tool traditions and repeated use of particular landscapes. Variability between regions suggests that groups shared certain technological solutions while maintaining local practices tied to environment and subsistence.

Legacy & Transition

Mesolithic societies provided the human presence and ecological knowledge that later farming communities built upon. Over time, changes in climate, mobility, and resource exploitation set the conditions under which agricultural lifeways expanded into France.

Analysis

Genetic comparisons

These comparisons show genetic similarity, not identity or origin. The populations listed are those whose genomes show statistical alignment to this ancient individual.

Similarity reflects shared history, not shared identity. These are analytical comparisons, not claims about who this person was.

Modern Genetic Admixture

This analysis compares the DNA profile with present-day reference populations, showing statistical similarity to modern reference populations from different regions. The excavation site records where this individual was found, not a fixed modern genetic identity.

Europe 96.4%

Northwestern European 65.6%

Scandinavian 33.4%

Finnish 32.2%

Eastern European 23.0%

Southern European 7.9%

Iberian 7.9%

Oceania 2.6%

Melanesian 2.6%

Papuan 2.6%

Asia 0.9%

Chinese & Southeast Asian 0.9%

Tibetan 0.9%

Closest Modern Populations

These are the modern populations showing the closest statistical alignment to A man buried in France in the era, ranked by genetic distance. Lower distance values indicate closer statistical similarity. Cross-region similarity can reflect shared ancestry, population movement, continuity, or later admixture.

Lithuanian PA

1.2671

62.1834