DNA Study Sheds Light on Neolithic China's Influential City Builders

An extensive genetic study of human remains found at the site of Shimao in Shaanxi Province, China, is providing new insights into the population of one of ancient China's most enigmatic Neolithic societies.

Shimao emerged around 4200 B.C. and is recognized for its imposing network of stone walls and sophisticated architecture, becoming one of China's earliest and largest prehistoric cities. Recent genetic research indicated that the rapid development of Shimao was not due to an influx of newcomers, but rather, it was built by local inhabitants who had occupied the area for at least 1,000 years.

Furthermore, the study revealed that Shimao was a patrilineal society, where women moved to reside in their husbands' communities. The research also addressed a grim deposit of 80 human skulls found outside the city's main East Gate, the largest collection of its kind in Neolithic China.

Initially believed to represent ritually sacrificed women, genetic analysis showed that 90 percent of the victims tested were actually men. While evidence of female human sacrifice has been found at the site, it occurred in specific areas, such as near cemeteries of the city's elite inhabitants.

This deliberate division by sex suggests that Shimao's rulers implemented a highly structured ritual system. The findings enhance our understanding of historical populations and their contributions to civilization, as highlighted in the article published in Nature and discussed by La Brujula Verde.