Wang, Jincheng;
Yan, Shi;
Li, Zhenguang;
Zan, Jinguo;
Zhao, Yichao;
Zhao, Jin;
Chen, Kui;
... Ning, Chao; + view all
(2025)
Ancient DNA reveals a two-clanned matrilineal community in Neolithic China.
Nature
, 643
pp. 1304-1311.
10.1038/s41586-025-09103-x.
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Abstract
Studies of ancient DNA from cemeteries provide valuable insights into early human societies, and have strongly indicated patrilocality<sup>1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9–10</sup>. Here, we analysed ancient DNA alongside archaeological contexts and multiple stable isotopic data from 60 individuals in 2 separate cemeteries at the Fujia archaeological site in eastern China, dating between 2750 and 2500 bce. Our findings suggest the existence of an early-described matrilineal community in the Neolithic period, characterized by high endogamy and a population practicing millet agriculture near the coast. Evidence of intermarriage between individuals in the two cemeteries and the presence of both primary and secondary burials, organized strictly according to maternal clans, underscore a strong sense of social cohesion and identity at Fujia. Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon dates indicates that the two cemeteries were used for approximately 250 years, implying a stable matrilineal lineage spanning at least 10 generations. This study contributes to the ongoing debate in anthropology and archaeology<sup>11</sup>, not only suggesting the existence of a matrilineal society in early human history but also revealing a pair of Neolithic cemeteries organized around two matrilineal clans, furthering our understanding of the early evolution of human societies through kinship systems.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Ancient DNA reveals a two-clanned matrilineal community in Neolithic China |
| Location: | England |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41586-025-09103-x |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09103-x |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. |
| Keywords: | Science & Technology, Multidisciplinary Sciences, Science & Technology - Other Topics, Y-CHROMOSOME, POPULATION, DIVERSITY, MIGRATION |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Dept of Anthropology |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10211634 |
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