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More than 30,000 years ago, human groups of the Gravettian culture were far more connected than previously thought. An international team led by the University of Vienna publishes new genetic evidence in Science Advances of long-distance exchanges, drawn from rare human remains and from DNA preserved in cave sediments, including those of Isturitz in south-western France.
A Widespread Gravettian Culture
The Gravettian is one of the major cultures of the European Upper Palaeolithic. According to data reported by Phys.org, it spread across the continent between roughly 34,000 and 25,000 years ago.
Archaeological remains had long suggested wide-ranging contacts between groups, but genetic data had so far depicted two relatively stable large clusters, one eastern and one western. The new study nuances this picture.
A Woman from Isturitz at the Crossroads of Lineages
The remains of a woman from Isturitz cave in south-western France, who lived about 30,000 years ago, have yielded the oldest genome-wide dataset of an anatomically modern human from south-western Europe. According to the study, her ancestry is mainly linked to the Western European lineage, but she also carries a share of ancestry related to populations of central and eastern Europe.
Genetic modelling dates this gene flow to approximately 32,500 to 31,500 years ago. A comparable signal was detected in an individual from Ormesson, France, studied previously. Combined with archaeological evidence, these data suggest that Isturitz may have been a meeting place between different groups.
DNA Extracted from Sediments
One of the innovations of this work lies in the use of ancient DNA preserved directly in sediments. In El Mirón cave in Cantabria, the researchers recovered enough human nuclear DNA from a layer about 22,000 years old to determine its genetic ancestry, although no human bone or tooth had been found there.
This method, known as sedimentary DNA, makes it possible to link archaeological layers to the ancestry of the people who occupied a site, even in the absence of skeletal remains. According to the authors, the results show that this ancestry persisted until the Last Glacial Maximum, supporting the idea that the Iberian Peninsula served as a refuge during the ice age.
Regional Continuity and Mating Practices
Alongside these exchanges, the study highlights strong population continuity in south-western Europe. Genomic data from Chufín cave in northern Spain indicate that western European ancestry persisted in the region for several millennia.
The team also analysed Ostuni1b, a male foetus from southern Italy, very probably the son of the woman Ostuni1 already studied. His father probably came from the same genetic population, but the parents were not closely related, suggesting mating practices that limited inbreeding. These findings show that regional continuity and long-distance exchanges could coexist.
Toward New Investigations
The researchers plan to combine sedimentary DNA with advanced proteomic analyses in order to study the early trans-European expansions of Homo sapiens and their interactions with carnivores, where organic remains are scarce.
To place these results in context, readers can consult the site's entries on decorated caves and Gravettian sites in south-western France, as well as the collections of the prehistory museums of the Pyrenees.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Gravettian culture?
The Gravettian is an Upper Palaeolithic culture that spread across Europe between roughly 34,000 and 25,000 years ago. It is known for its flint tools and artistic remains. Its groups maintained contacts across vast territories.
What did the woman from Isturitz cave reveal?
According to the study, this woman, who lived about 30,000 years ago, has mainly western European ancestry, but also a share linked to populations of central and eastern Europe. Her genome bears witness to a gene flow dated to approximately 32,500 to 31,500 years ago.
What is sedimentary DNA?
Sedimentary DNA refers to human DNA preserved directly in cave sediments, without bones or teeth. It makes it possible to identify the ancestry of the occupants of an archaeological layer. This method was used at El Mirón, in Cantabria.
Where can the original study be read?
The study is titled "Early Gravettian genomic data from Western Europe Reveal Population Movements before the LGM" and was published in Science Advances in 2026. Its lead author is Pere Gelabert, of the University of Vienna.
Sources
Original summary written with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited, checked automatically, then translated from the French original. Information and quotations belong to their authors. Read the French original.
