Mapping human mobility during the third and second millennia BC in present-day Denmark

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mapping human mobility during the third and second millennia BC in present-day Denmark

AU - Frei, Karin Margarita

AU - Bergerbrant, Sophie

AU - Sjögren, Karl-Göran

AU - Jørkov, Marie Louise

AU - Lynnerup, Niels

AU - Harvig, Lise

AU - Allentoft, Morten E

AU - Sikora, Martin

AU - Price, T Douglas

AU - Frei, Robert

AU - Kristiansen, Kristian

PY - 2019/8/1

Y1 - 2019/8/1

N2 - We present results of the largest multidisciplinary human mobility investigation to date of skeletal remains from present-day Denmark encompassing the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. Through a multi-analytical approach based on 88 individuals from 37 different archaeological localities in which we combine strontium isotope and radiocarbon analyses together with anthropological investigations, we explore whether there are significant changes in human mobility patterns during this period. Overall, our data suggest that mobility of people seems to have been continuous throughout the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. However, our data also indicate a clear shift in mobility patterns from around 1600 BC onwards, with a larger variation in the geographical origin of the migrants, and potentially including more distant regions. This shift occurred during a transition period at the beginning of the Nordic Bronze Age at a time when society flourished, expanded and experienced an unprecedented economic growth, suggesting that these aspects were closely related.

AB - We present results of the largest multidisciplinary human mobility investigation to date of skeletal remains from present-day Denmark encompassing the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. Through a multi-analytical approach based on 88 individuals from 37 different archaeological localities in which we combine strontium isotope and radiocarbon analyses together with anthropological investigations, we explore whether there are significant changes in human mobility patterns during this period. Overall, our data suggest that mobility of people seems to have been continuous throughout the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. However, our data also indicate a clear shift in mobility patterns from around 1600 BC onwards, with a larger variation in the geographical origin of the migrants, and potentially including more distant regions. This shift occurred during a transition period at the beginning of the Nordic Bronze Age at a time when society flourished, expanded and experienced an unprecedented economic growth, suggesting that these aspects were closely related.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0219850

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0219850

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31433798

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 14

JO - PLoS Computational Biology

JF - PLoS Computational Biology

IS - 8

M1 - e0219850

ER -