How cutting-edge science revealed a Stone Age mystery by proving two ancient skeletons were actually the same person
A new scientific detective story, pieced together with cutting-edge technology, has upended a long-standing archaeological mystery, revealing that two ancient skeletons, long thought to be different people and separated by nearly a thousand years, were in fact the same individual 1 .
The story begins in the Lessini Mountains of northern Italy, at a place known as Riparo Tagliente. This rock shelter, first discovered in 1958, was a strategic home for ancient peoples, offering a vantage point at the convergence of diverse landscapes 1 . Excavations over the years uncovered a treasure trove of history, including two sets of human remains that became known as Tagliente 1 and Tagliente 2 1 .
A mandible (lower jawbone) found in 1963 1 .
An incomplete burial with postcranial bones (below skull) discovered in 1973 1 .
For decades, archaeologists believed these remains belonged to two separate individuals, a conclusion seemingly confirmed by radiocarbon dating showing a gap of nearly nine centuries between them 1 .
To solve this ancient mystery, scientists employed a suite of sophisticated techniques, acting as a "Scientist's Toolkit" to extract information from the fragile, millennia-old bones 1 .
| Tool/Technique | Primary Function |
|---|---|
| Radiocarbon Dating | Measures the decay of carbon-14 to determine the age of organic remains like bone collagen 1 . |
| Stable Isotope Analysis | Analyzes ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in bone collagen to reconstruct an individual's lifetime diet 1 . |
| Shallow Shotgun Sequencing | An initial, broad DNA sequencing method to screen for the presence and quality of ancient DNA 1 . |
| In-Solution Capture | A targeted approach that enriches specific DNA sequences, such as the entire mitochondrial genome or a panel of informative nuclear SNPs, from a complex mixture 1 . |
| UDG Treatment | A chemical treatment that helps control damage in ancient DNA, improving the accuracy of sequence data 1 . |
| Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) | Provides high-resolution imaging to study microscopic marks on bones, such as those from projectile weapons 7 . |
The cornerstone of the new study was the paleogenomic analysis of Tagliente 1. For the first time, researchers sequenced DNA from a femur fragment of the headless burial 1 .
The results were startling. The mitochondrial DNA haplogroup (a specific genetic lineage passed down the maternal line) of Tagliente 1 was determined to be U2'3'4'7'8'9 1 . This was an exact match for the haplogroup previously identified for Tagliente 2 1 .
Haplogroup: U2'3'4'7'8'9
Haplogroup: I2
The genetic evidence was clear: the jawbone and the headless body were from the same individual 1 .
The scientists turned detective to explain these contradictions. The key was to understand what different parts of the body can and cannot tell us 1 .
Isotopic analysis showed that the Tagliente 2 molar had a different dietary signature than the Tagliente 1 bones. The explanation lies in biology 1 .
The team proposed that the younger date from Tagliente 1's bone could be due to minimal radiocarbon contamination 1 .
| Biomolecular Evidence | Tagliente 2 (Mandible) | Tagliente 1 (Postcranial) | Scientific Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiocarbon Date | ~16,980–16,500 cal BP 1 | ~16,360–16,210 cal BP 1 | Likely due to contamination from conservation chemicals on Tagliente 1 1 |
| Stable Isotopes (Diet) | Lower δ15N, terrestrial diet 1 | Higher δ15N, aquatic diet 1 | Tooth (childhood diet) vs. bone (adulthood diet); individual changed diet 1 |
| Genetic Identity | Male, mtDNA: U2'3'4'7'8'9, Y-DNA: I2 1 | Male, mtDNA: U2'3'4'7'8'9, Y-DNA: I2 1 | Confirmed Match: The remains belong to the same person 1 |
The reunification of these remains tells a more complete and dramatic story of this young man's life and death. A separate study of the Tagliente 1 bones revealed a brutal end 4 7 .
As glaciers receded, new territories opened up, potentially leading to competition for resources between expanding hunter-gatherer groups 4 .
The case of the Tagliente individual is more than just a scientific correction; it's a powerful demonstration of how interdisciplinary science is revolutionizing archaeology. It highlights the critical importance of direct biomolecular testing when possible, showing that even the most logical archaeological assumptions can be upended by genetic evidence 1 .
He was a pioneer in the re-peopling of the Alpine slopes after the ice age, and his story—of a changing diet, a violent death, and a respectful burial—gives us an unprecedented window into the challenges and realities of life in Stone Age Europe 1 .