The population history of Central Europe in the Early Bronze Age (2200/2100–1600/1500 BC) - a craniometric approach

During the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, migrations and the advent of working bronze alloy materials triggered profound cultural, social, and economic shifts across Central Europe. As a result of this processes, many communities with distinct archaeological and cultural characteristics emerged during the Central European Early Bronze Age (between circa 2200/2100 and 1600/1500 BC) in Central Europe, and with the Middle Bronze Age of the Carpathian Basin (between 2000/1900 and 1500/1450 BC). This study examines the biological relationships among these populations through biodistance analyses, aiming to clarify connections between cultural and biological affinities within the emerging heterogeneous communities. Craniometric and population graph analyses highlight the Danube’s complex role as a barrier to gene flow across Early Bronze Age communities. The population graph analysis suggests varying connectivity among male and female groups. Beside geographical location and sex-biased mobility, population admixture may have had an impact on the formation of population structure in the Early Bronze Age, as communities north of the Danube have more connections to Corded Ware cultures, whereas southern groups are more closely associated with Bell Beaker populations.