The dynamic genomic prehistory of glacial western Europe

AI interpretationAI-generated

New Late Upper Palaeolithic genomes from southern France reveal glacial western Europe's genetic story.

This study reports newly sequenced Late Upper Palaeolithic genomes from southern France, using shotgun sequencing. These ancient individuals lived during the last Ice Age, a time when glaciers covered much of northern Europe. The genetic data help trace how populations moved and mixed in western Europe after the Last Glacial Maximum. The site contains six samples, but only one Y-chromosome lineage was resolved, while mitochondrial diversity is broader.

• New Late Upper Palaeolithic genomes were recovered from southern France.
• Only one Y-chromosome haplogroup was resolved: I-M253.
• Mitochondrial lineages include U4'9, U2-T152C!, R, U5b1, and U5b.

Sample interpretation

The site yielded six ancient individuals. Y-chromosome resolution is limited: just one sample could be assigned to I-M253. Mitochondrial DNA is more informative: two samples carry U4'9, and one each carries U2-T152C!, R, U5b1, and U5b. This pattern suggests a small but diverse maternal gene pool, while paternal signals remain scarce due to poor DNA preservation or low coverage.

For genealogy enthusiasts

For ancestry enthusiasts, this adds rare Ice Age western European genomes. The mix of U and R mitochondrial lineages plus I-M253 Y-DNA hints at complex population structure and continuity in glacial refugia, useful for tracing deep maternal and paternal roots.