Incest in the elite of Neolithic Ireland

Incest in the elite of Neolithic Ireland

Incest in the elite of Neolithic Ireland

The huge, elaborate, 5,000-year-old tomb at Newgrange, Ireland, is thought to have been built for a powerful elite. DNA of a man buried there in splendour reveals that he was the offspring of first-degree relatives: either full siblings or parent and child. Was this a strategy to maintain a dynastic bloodline? The Nature Podcast speaks to ancient-geneticist Lara Cassidy and other experts about the possible meaning of the man’s parentage and his spectacular surroundings.

Nature Podcast | 26 min listenSubscribe to the Nature Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts or Spotify.
Read more: Archaeologist Alison Sheridan gives an expert view in the Nature News & Views article
Reference: Nature paper