Wang Jincheng, Yan Shi, Li Zhenguang, Zan Jinguo, Zhao Yichao, Zhao Jin, Chen Kui, Wang Xueye, Ji Ting, Zhang Cheng, Yang Tingyu, Zhang Tianming, Qiao Rui, Guo Meilin, Rao Zongyue, Zhang Jiashuo, Wang Guanbo, Ran Zhiyu, Duan Chen, Zhang Fan, Song Yin, Wu Xiaohong, Mace Ruth, Sun Bo, Pang Yuhong, Huang Yanyi, Zhang Hai, Ning Chao
School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Nature. 2025 Jun 4. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09103-x.
Studies of ancient DNA from cemeteries provide valuable insights into early human societies, and have strongly indicated patrilocality. 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, 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.
对墓地古代DNA的研究为早期人类社会提供了宝贵的见解，并有力地表明了从夫居的存在。在这里，我们结合考古背景和来自中国东部傅家考古遗址两个独立墓地的60个人的多个稳定同位素数据，分析了古代DNA，这些数据的年代在公元前2750年至2500年之间。我们的研究结果表明，新石器时代存在一个早期描述的母系社群，其特点是近亲通婚率高，且是一个在海岸附近从事粟作农业的群体。两个墓地个体之间通婚的证据以及严格按照母系氏族组织的一次葬和二次葬的存在，凸显了傅家强烈的社会凝聚力和认同感。放射性碳年代的贝叶斯建模表明，这两个墓地使用了大约250年，这意味着一个稳定的母系谱系至少跨越了10代。这项研究为人类学和考古学中正在进行的辩论做出了贡献，不仅表明了母系社会在人类早期历史中的存在，还揭示了围绕两个母系氏族组织的一对新石器时代墓地，通过亲属制度进一步加深了我们对人类社会早期演变的理解。
