Analysis of ancient wooden tools from Germany
Analysis of over 700 prehistoric wood objects found at Schöningen 13 in Germany reveals that they were transported from a site at least 3-5 km away. Using a variety of methods to examine materials and manufacturing techniques, it was found that the wood used was selected from hard and resilient tree species rather than species found closer to the site. This suggests that considerable planning was involved in the creation of the tools. Excavation of the site, dubbed the “Spear Horizon” after a 300,000-year-old spear that was part of the site, ended in 2008. The analysis was recently published in PNAS https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2320484121.
DNA reveals kinship and marriage customs of steppe warriors
A new DNA analysis of 424 individuals from the Avar Kingdom has revealed details of kinship and marriage practices in the Hungarian Plain some 1,500 years ago. The results, covering nine generations and four cemeteries, suggest that patrilineal lineage played an important role in society. The largest of the sites surveyed also indicates a realignment of power in the mid-7th century, evidenced by DNA shifts from a predominantly male lineage to another. The findings were recently published in Nature and can be read at:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07312-4.
Image: Eötvös Loránd University Institute of Archaeology, Múzeum krt.4/B, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
An astonishing treasure trove of Swedish coins
Excavations at a church on the Swedish island of Vithings have uncovered an unexpected burial find: 170 early medieval coins. Archaeologists from the State Museum were surprised to find coins in the burial of a man aged between 20 and 25 years old, as such grave goods are rarely found in Christian burials. Initial examination of the burial has determined that it dates to around 1150-1180 AD. Interestingly, some of the coin types are not currently recorded in the numismatic register, making the site potentially valuable for understanding the early medieval period in the region.
By Rebecca Priedy
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