Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria

Anja Furtwängler; Katharina Rebay-Salisbury; Gunnar U. Neumann; Fabian Kanz; Harald Ringbauer; Raffaela Angelina Bianco; Tanja Schmidt; Lena Semerau; Rita Radzevičiūtė; Rodrigo Barquera; Nadin Rohland; Kristin Stewardson; J. Noah Workman; Elizabeth Curtis; Fatma Zalzala; Kim Callan; Lora Iliev; Lijun Qiu; Olivia Cheronet; Anna Wagner; Guillermo Bravo Morante; Michaela Spannagel; Maria Teschler-Nicola; Friederike Novotny; Domnika Verdianu; Ron Pinhasi; David Reich; Johannes Krause; Philipp W. Stockhammer; Alissa Mittnik

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-67906-y

Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria

Anja Furtwängler (Corresponding author)
, Katharina Rebay-Salisbury (Corresponding author)
, Gunnar U. Neumann
, Fabian Kanz
, Harald Ringbauer
, Raffaela Angelina Bianco
, Tanja Schmidt
, Lena Semerau
, Rita Radzevičiūtė
, Rodrigo Barquera
, Nadin Rohland
, Kristin Stewardson
, J. Noah Workman
, Elizabeth Curtis
, Fatma Zalzala
, Kim Callan
, Lora Iliev
, Lijun Qiu
, Olivia Cheronet
, Anna Wagner

Guillermo Bravo Morante, Michaela Spannagel, Maria Teschler-Nicola, Friederike Novotny, Domnika Verdianu, Ron Pinhasi, David Reich, Johannes Krause, Philipp W. Stockhammer, Alissa Mittnik (Corresponding author)

Publications: Contribution to journal › Article › Peer Reviewed

Abstract

In this study, we present the results of archaeogenetic investigations of Early Bronze Age individuals from Lower Austria, specifically associated with the Únětice and Unterwölbling cultural groups. Through analysing newly generated genome-wide data of 129 individuals, we explore the social structure and genetic relationships within and between these communities. Our results reveal a predominantly patrilocal society with non-strict female exogamic practices. Additionally, Identity-by-Descent analysis detects long-distance genetic connections, emphasizing the complex network of interactions in Central Europe during this period. Despite shared social dynamics, notable genetic distinctions emerge between the Únětice and Unterwölbling groups. These insights contribute to our understanding of Bronze Age population interconnections and call for a nuanced interpretation of social dynamics in this historical context.

Original language	English
Article number	131
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	17
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67906-y
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 31 Dec 2025

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

601021 Prehistory

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Furtwängler, A., Rebay-Salisbury, K., Neumann, G. U., Kanz, F., Ringbauer, H., Bianco, R. A., Schmidt, T., Semerau, L., Radzevičiūtė, R., Barquera, R., Rohland, N., Stewardson, K., Workman, J. N., Curtis, E., Zalzala, F., Callan, K., Iliev, L., Qiu, L., Cheronet, O., ... Mittnik, A. (2025). Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria. Nature Communications, 17(1), Article 131. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67906-y

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title = "Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria",

abstract = "In this study, we present the results of archaeogenetic investigations of Early Bronze Age individuals from Lower Austria, specifically associated with the {\'U}n{\v e}tice and Unterw{\"o}lbling cultural groups. Through analysing newly generated genome-wide data of 129 individuals, we explore the social structure and genetic relationships within and between these communities. Our results reveal a predominantly patrilocal society with non-strict female exogamic practices. Additionally, Identity-by-Descent analysis detects long-distance genetic connections, emphasizing the complex network of interactions in Central Europe during this period. Despite shared social dynamics, notable genetic distinctions emerge between the {\'U}n{\v e}tice and Unterw{\"o}lbling groups. These insights contribute to our understanding of Bronze Age population interconnections and call for a nuanced interpretation of social dynamics in this historical context.",

author = "Anja Furtw{\"a}ngler and Katharina Rebay-Salisbury and Neumann, \{Gunnar U.\} and Fabian Kanz and Harald Ringbauer and Bianco, \{Raffaela Angelina\} and Tanja Schmidt and Lena Semerau and Rita Radzevi{\v c}iūtė and Rodrigo Barquera and Nadin Rohland and Kristin Stewardson and Workman, \{J. Noah\} and Elizabeth Curtis and Fatma Zalzala and Kim Callan and Lora Iliev and Lijun Qiu and Olivia Cheronet and Anna Wagner and \{Bravo Morante\}, Guillermo and Michaela Spannagel and Maria Teschler-Nicola and Friederike Novotny and Domnika Verdianu and Ron Pinhasi and David Reich and Johannes Krause and Stockhammer, \{Philipp W.\} and Alissa Mittnik",

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Furtwängler, A, Rebay-Salisbury, K, Neumann, GU, Kanz, F, Ringbauer, H, Bianco, RA, Schmidt, T, Semerau, L, Radzevičiūtė, R, Barquera, R, Rohland, N, Stewardson, K, Workman, JN, Curtis, E, Zalzala, F, Callan, K, Iliev, L, Qiu, L, Cheronet, O, Wagner, A, Bravo Morante, G, Spannagel, M, Teschler-Nicola, M, Novotny, F, Verdianu, D , Pinhasi, R, Reich, D, Krause, J, Stockhammer, PW & Mittnik, A 2025, 'Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria', Nature Communications, vol. 17, no. 1, 131. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67906-y

TY - JOUR

T1 - Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria

AU - Furtwängler, Anja

AU - Rebay-Salisbury, Katharina

AU - Neumann, Gunnar U.

AU - Kanz, Fabian

AU - Ringbauer, Harald

AU - Bianco, Raffaela Angelina

AU - Schmidt, Tanja

AU - Semerau, Lena

AU - Radzevičiūtė, Rita

AU - Barquera, Rodrigo

AU - Rohland, Nadin

AU - Stewardson, Kristin

AU - Workman, J. Noah

AU - Curtis, Elizabeth

AU - Zalzala, Fatma

AU - Callan, Kim

AU - Iliev, Lora

AU - Qiu, Lijun

AU - Cheronet, Olivia

AU - Wagner, Anna

AU - Bravo Morante, Guillermo

AU - Spannagel, Michaela

AU - Teschler-Nicola, Maria

AU - Novotny, Friederike

AU - Verdianu, Domnika

AU - Pinhasi, Ron

AU - Reich, David

AU - Krause, Johannes

AU - Stockhammer, Philipp W.

AU - Mittnik, Alissa

PY - 2025/12/31

Y1 - 2025/12/31

N2 - In this study, we present the results of archaeogenetic investigations of Early Bronze Age individuals from Lower Austria, specifically associated with the Únětice and Unterwölbling cultural groups. Through analysing newly generated genome-wide data of 129 individuals, we explore the social structure and genetic relationships within and between these communities. Our results reveal a predominantly patrilocal society with non-strict female exogamic practices. Additionally, Identity-by-Descent analysis detects long-distance genetic connections, emphasizing the complex network of interactions in Central Europe during this period. Despite shared social dynamics, notable genetic distinctions emerge between the Únětice and Unterwölbling groups. These insights contribute to our understanding of Bronze Age population interconnections and call for a nuanced interpretation of social dynamics in this historical context.

AB - In this study, we present the results of archaeogenetic investigations of Early Bronze Age individuals from Lower Austria, specifically associated with the Únětice and Unterwölbling cultural groups. Through analysing newly generated genome-wide data of 129 individuals, we explore the social structure and genetic relationships within and between these communities. Our results reveal a predominantly patrilocal society with non-strict female exogamic practices. Additionally, Identity-by-Descent analysis detects long-distance genetic connections, emphasizing the complex network of interactions in Central Europe during this period. Despite shared social dynamics, notable genetic distinctions emerge between the Únětice and Unterwölbling groups. These insights contribute to our understanding of Bronze Age population interconnections and call for a nuanced interpretation of social dynamics in this historical context.

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U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-67906-y

DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-67906-y

M3 - Article

C2 - 41476121

AN - SCOPUS:105026838230

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 17

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

M1 - 131

ER -

Tracing social mechanisms and interregional connections in Early Bronze Age Societies in Lower Austria

Abstract

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

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