Lichtenstein Cave

The Lichtenstein Cave is an archaeological site near Dorste, Lower Saxony, Germany. The cave is 115 metres long and was discovered in 1972. Finds include the skeletal remains of 21 females and 19 males from the Bronze Age, about 3000 years old. In addition, about 100 bronze objects (ear, arm and finger rings, bracelets) and ceramic parts from the Urnfield Culture were found.

Ancient DNA Tests

Both mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA tests were conducted on the skeletons and published by the University of Göttingen. Mitochondrial haplogroups found included 17 from H, 5 from T2, 9 from U5b and 5 from J*. Out of the 19 males represented in the cave, 15 yielded the full 12 tested STR values, with twelve showing haplotypes related to I2b2 (at least four lineages), two to R1a (probably one lineage), and one to R1b predicted haplogroups. Y-STR results are given in the table below:

Y-STR Haplotypes of the 19 male individuals

HT	393	390	19	391	385a	385b	439	389i	392	389ii	437	438	Σ	Hg
Y1	13	25	16	11	13	17	11	12	11	28	15	10	6	I2b2
Y2	13	25	15	11	13	17	11	12	11	27	15	10	3	I2b2
Y3	13	23	14	11	11	14	12	13	13	29	15	12	1	R1b
Y4	-	-	(17)	(11)	-	-	(11)	12	-	-	-	10	1	I2b2
Y5	13	25	15	11	11	(13)	11	13	11	30	14	11	2	R1a
Y6	13	24	16	11	13	17	11	12	11	28	15	10	3	I2b2
nd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-

() = allele unsure or assignment of an individual, nd = not determined

See also

• Ancient DNA

Sources

• Felix Schilz: Molekulargenetische Verwandtschaftsanalysen am prähistorischen Skelettkollektiv der Lichtensteinhöhle, Dissertation, Göttingen 2006.

External links

• Lichtenstein Cave Data Analysis. D. Schweitzer, Ph.D.
• Two Germans Share World's Longest Family Tree
• Human sacrifice was rarer than thought