Genomic insigths into social practices of an early sedentary community from Upper Mesopotamia

Date

2026-8-10

Author

Katırcıoğlu, Büşra

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Upper Mesopotamia is one of the most important centers of the Neolithic Transition. Çayönü Tepesi holds a special place due to its uninterrupted occupation during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN) period and its dynamic culture inferred from changing architectural styles. In a previous study, Altınışık et al. (2022) investigated the demographic history of the site using 13 ancient genomes from Çayönü Tepesi; however, the limited sample size hindered a full understanding of social practices such as kinship systems or residence patterns. In this study, we produced 39 newly sequenced ancient genomes from Çayönü Tepesi spanning the PPN period (approximately 8500 - 7200 BCE). With this expanded dataset, I estimated genetic kinship among individuals using autosomes and the X chromosome, determined uniparental haplogroups, and used the data to study relatedness patterns among house co-burials and within the site. Additionally, I investigated DNA preservation patterns and how these vary with age and sex. The results suggest that adult individuals buried in Çayönü are mainly connected through the maternal line. I also found that adult females exhibit lower DNA preservation than the rest of the individuals. These observations support the presence of a matrilocal-like community at Çayönü Tepesi as well as burial practices that may have involved special treatment to adult females during the PPN.

Subject Keywords

Ancient DNA, Çayönü Tepesi, Matrilocality, Upper Mesopotamia, PPN

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/120650

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Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis