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Portrait reconstruction of UZZ077
Ancient Individual

A woman buried in Italy in the Early Neolithic era

UZZ077
5476 BCE - 5365 BCE
Female
Early Neolithic Sicily
Italy
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Chapter I

Identity

The biological and cultural markers that define this ancient individual

Sample ID

UZZ077

Date Range

5476 BCE - 5365 BCE

Biological Sex

Female

mtDNA Haplogroup

H

Cultural Period

Early Neolithic Sicily

Chapter II

Place

Where this individual was discovered

Country Italy
Locality Sicily. Grotta dell’Uzzo
Coordinates 38.1100, 12.7866
Chapter III

Time

When this individual lived in the broader context of human history

UZZ077 5476 BCE - 5365 BCE
Chapter IV

Story

The narrative of this ancient life

The Early Neolithic period in Sicily, as part of the broader Mediterranean Neolithic era, marks a significant transformation in human society, characterized by the transition from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a more settled agricultural existence. This era, roughly spanning from 6000 to 4000 BCE, is pivotal in the cultural and technological developments in the region. Let's dive into a detailed description of this fascinating period.

Environmental Context

During the Early Neolithic, Sicily was a luxuriant land with a mild Mediterranean climate that supported diverse ecosystems. The island's landscape was dotted with forests and rich in natural resources, providing a conducive environment for early human settlement. The availability of fertile land played a crucial role in the development of agriculture.

Agricultural Advancements

The introduction of agriculture was one of the central features of the Neolithic revolution in Sicily. Cultivation of crops such as wheat, barley, and legumes became widespread. People also domesticated animals including sheep, goats, and pigs, which provided meat, milk, and wool, further enriching the dietary and living conditions of the communities.

Settlement Patterns

Settlements during this period became more permanent as communities established villages in fertile valleys or near water sources. These early Neolithic villages were typically composed of small, round or oval huts built using local materials, including wood, reeds, and mud. The shift from nomadic to sedentary life allowed for the development of complex social structures and community cooperation.

Technological Innovations

The Early Neolithic saw remarkable technological advances, particularly in the realm of tool-making. The Sicilian Neolithic communities crafted polished stone tools, which were more efficient and durable than their predecessors. Pottery also emerged during this period, with elaborately decorated vessels used for cooking, storage, and ceremonial purposes. This pottery often featured incised linear and geometric patterns.

Artistic and Ritualistic Developments

Art and ritual played a significant part in Early Neolithic Sicilian culture. The island's inhabitants created various artifacts that suggest a rich symbolic and ritualistic life, including figurines and ornaments made from bone, stone, and clay. Patterns and motifs on pottery and tools may represent early attempts at storytelling or religious expression, indicative of complex belief systems.

Trade and Exchange Networks

Though geographically isolated, Sicily was integrated into broader Mediterranean trade networks. Early Neolithic Sicilians traded obsidian, prized for its sharpness and beauty, with mainland Italy and other Mediterranean islands. This exchange facilitated cultural diffusion, including technologies, ideas, and goods, contributing to the Neolithic cultural tapestry.

Social Organization

Social life in Early Neolithic Sicily likely revolved around kinship and clan-based structures. The emergence of distinct social roles, perhaps related to age, sex, and skills, indicates early forms of social stratification. Rituals and communal gatherings might have played essential roles in maintaining societal cohesion and conveying shared values and beliefs.

Archaeological Discoveries

Archaeological evidence from sites such as Stentinello, named after the Neolithic culture known for its distinctive pottery styles, has provided extensive insights into early Neolithic life in Sicily. Excavations have revealed home structures, burial sites, and an array of tools and ceramics, which collectively paint a picture of a vibrant early agrarian society.

Conclusion

The Early Neolithic era in Sicily represents a dynamic period where the foundations of later historical developments were laid. The cultural, technological, and social transformations during this time reflect broader Mediterranean processes converging on the island. Understanding Sicily's early Neolithic context helps illuminate the intricate web of human development and interaction in the prehistoric Mediterranean landscape.

Chapter V

Genetics

The genetic ancestry of this ancient individual

Ancient Genetic Admixture

This analysis compares the DNA profile of UZZ077 with ancient reference populations, showing the genetic composition in terms of prehistoric ancestral groups.

Neolithic Farmers 65.6%
European Hunter-Gatherers 22.1%
Western Steppe Pastoralists 5.8%
Ancient Asians 3.6%
Ancient Africans 3.0%

Modern Genetic Admixture

This analysis compares the DNA profile with present-day reference populations, showing what percentage of genetic makeup resembles modern populations from different regions.

Europe 92.3%
Southern European 92.3%
Italian 37.6%
Sardinian 28.4%
Iberian 17.3%
Balkan 8.9%
Africa 5.3%
North African 4.1%
North African 4.1%
West African 1.2%
Ghanaian, Liberian, Sierra Leonean 1.2%
Asia 1.8%
Chinese & Southeast Asian 1.8%
Tibetan 1.8%
Oceania 0.7%
Melanesian 0.7%
Papuan 0.7%

Closest Modern Populations

These are the modern populations showing the closest statistical alignment to A woman buried in Italy in the Early Neolithic era, ranked by genetic distance. Lower distance values indicate closer statistical similarity.

1
Sardinian
3.6365
2
French Corsica
6.1090
3
Belmonte Jew
6.3774
4
Italian Lazio
7.1580
5
Italian Umbria
7.4276
6
Sicilian West
7.4681
7
Italian Lombardy
7.5776
8
Spanish Murcia
7.6586
9
Spanish Andalucia
7.7324
10
Spanish Menorca
7.7435
Chapter VI

Context

Other ancient individuals connected to this sample

Sources

References

Scientific publications and genetic data

Scientific Publication

Genomic and dietary discontinuities during the Mesolithic and Neolithic in Sicily

Authors Yu H, van de Loosdrecht MS, Mannino MA
Abstract

Sicily is a key region for understanding the agricultural transition in the Mediterranean because of its central position. Here, we present genomic and stable isotopic data for 19 prehistoric Sicilians covering the Mesolithic to Bronze Age periods (10,700-4,100 yBP). We find that Early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers (HGs) from Sicily are a highly drifted lineage of the Early Holocene western European HGs, whereas Late Mesolithic HGs carry ∼20% ancestry related to northern and (south) eastern European HGs, indicating substantial gene flow. Early Neolithic farmers are genetically most similar to farmers from the Balkans and Greece, with only ∼7% of ancestry from local Mesolithic HGs. The genetic discontinuities during the Mesolithic and Early Neolithic match the changes in material culture and diet. Three outlying individuals dated to ∼8,000 yBP; however, suggest that hunter-gatherers interacted with incoming farmers at Grotta dell'Uzzo, resulting in a mixed economy and diet for a brief interlude at the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition.

G25 Coordinates

The G25 coordinates for sample UZZ077 can be used for detailed admixture analysis in our G25 Studio tool.

UZZ077,0.11035088,0.15944608,0.01372892,-0.05353866,0.04989024,-0.02628862,-0.00310324,0.00430302,0.04216516,0.06236458,-0.00173328,0.01016422,-0.01673284,-0.01218126,-0.01014736,0.00663408,0.0078135,0.0005182,0.00107596,-0.00132462,0.0025745,0.00666718,-0.01258976,-0.01776948,0.00310364
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