Who lived on the Swiss Plateau around 3300 BCE? Analyses of commingled human skeletal remains from the dolmen of Oberbipp

Abstract

Nowadays, the discovery and excavation of an almost intact Late Neolithic dolmen is rare, as those monuments were often visible in the landscape and have been investigated or destroyed in earlier times; therefore, information about the buried individuals has often been lost. The excavation of the dolmen, a stone grave chamber, from Oberbipp, Switzerland, in 2012 provided a unique opportunity to study human skeletal remains from a Late Neolithic collective burial (3350–2650 BCE). Over 2,000 fragmented and commingled skeletal elements were recovered and form the basis of this morphological study. Established morphological methods were employed to evaluate the minimum number of individuals, age at death, sex, stature, and the presence of pathological alterations and trauma. Sex was determined additionally by aDNA analysis. Elements of the entire human skeleton were recovered indicating a primary burial site. At least 42 individuals (femora) from all age classes (57%:43% adults to subadults) were buried in the dolmen. Based on aDNA analysis (n = 23, partes petrosae) slightly more males than females (44%:35% males to females, 22% indeterminate) were recovered. Stature was estimated from complete femora (n = 3) indicating an average body height between 154–157 cm. Pathological alterations and trauma could be observed on several bones, however, without indications for major interpersonal violence. The caries intensity of Swiss samples seems to be higher compared with other Neolithic European sites. A possible separation of burial areas for males and females based on the recovery of skeletal elements within the dolmen along with aDNA results is postulated. In addition, this article contributes to a better understanding of Late Neolithic populations in Central Europe.

Ancient genomes reveal social and genetic structure of Late Neolithic Switzerland

“…Archaeologically, the Neolithic period in Switzerland is dominated by lakeshore and bog settlement sites with organic preservation, inner alpine sites of the Rhône valley, and high mountain pass sites 10 . Apart from settlement remains, stone cist graves from the Chamblandes type and a few megalithic burials towards the end of the Neolithic have been found, such as the dolmen burials of Oberbipp, Sion, Aesch, and others [10][11][12][13] . The rich archaeological record in Switzerland makes the region relevant for studies of population history in Central Europe.…”

Multiple Radiocarbon Dating of Human remains: Clarifying the Chronology and Sequences of Burials in the late Neolithic Dolmen of Oberbipp (Switzerland)

“…At least 42 individuals were buried inside the chamber (Siebke et al 2019; Figure 2). Due to the combination of flooding events and the replacement of the bones during the use of the dolmen as a burial site, neither individuals nor occupation phases were distinguishable.…”