Museum announcements, exhibition schedules, and press releases

Leipzig Researchers Reveal Matrilineal Inheritance Among Early Celtic Elites in Baden-Württemberg

Jun 3, 2024, 03:30 PM

Recent genetic analyses by Leipzig researchers have revealed significant insights into the power structures of early Celtic elites in southern Germany. Using ancient DNA (aDNA) and isotopic data from 31 individuals, researchers, including Jo Gretzing and Stephan Schiffels, found evidence of a dynastic system of matrilineal inheritance among the Celtic society. The study, highlighted in Nature Human Behaviour, confirms close kinship between two Celtic princes in Baden-Württemberg and suggests female-biased trans-alpine movement from northern Italy. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the matrilineal patterns of descent, Iron Age genomes, and consanguinity among the Celtic elites.