Scientists extract DNA of ancient woman from Paleolithic society pendant

This research was focused on recovered artifacts made from skeletal elements in particular. According to the official statement, items like these are more likely to well-preserve DNA found in skin cells, sweat, and other bodily fluids.

To put this technique to the test, the authors first assessed the effect of chemical exposure on the surface structure of ancient bone and tooth fragments recovered from the French cave Quinçay between the 1970s and 1990s. 

“One could say we have created a washing machine for ancient artifacts within our clean laboratory. By washing the artifacts at temperatures of up to 90°C, we are able to extract DNA from the wash waters, while keeping the artifacts intact,” said Elena Essel, the lead author of the study who developed the method, in an official release.

Following this preliminary test, the team applied the novel technique to freshly excavated items, which are less likely to be contaminated with modern human DNA, as is common during excavation.

Pendant belonging to a woman

Finally, they used this method on three tooth pendants recovered from the Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria. These pendants were chosen specifically because they had lower levels of modern DNA contamination during the testing.

During the Upper Paleolithic period, one pendant was made from the tooth of a wapiti deer species. The authors were also able to isolate significant amounts of ancient human DNA from this pendant. “The amount of human DNA we recovered from the pendant was extraordinary,” said Elena Essel. Further adding: “almost as if we had sampled a human tooth.”

Interestingly, the extracted animal and human mitochondrial genomes revealed that the pendant is 19,000 to 25,000 years old. 

Following this, the team moved on to the quest to find the owner of this pendant. The team also identified its human owner using the recovered nuclear genome. According to the number of X chromosomes, "the pendant was made, used, or worn by a woman." 

And this woman was genetically related to ancient Siberian individuals, also known as Ancient North Eurasians, who lived in the same period. 

“Forensic scientists will not be surprised that human DNA can be isolated from an object that has been handled a lot. But it is amazing that this is still possible after 20,000 years,” said Matthias Meyer, a Max Planck geneticist.

After this extensive work, the team hopes to apply this DNA method to other objects made from bone and teeth during the Stone Age. 

The results have been published in the journal Nature.