Throughout the course of history, humanity has undergone relentless evolutionary processes, leading to the modern civilization we have today. However, not every phase has ended on a “peaceful” note.
A recent study suggests that the rise of the agricultural revolution at the end of the Stone Age in Europe may not have been a smooth transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
Instead, it appears to have been a bloody takeover, resulting in the genocide of the majority of the nomadic population by the farmers who would settle in the region over the following generations.
The skull of a man found in Denmark serves as evidence of the brutality of these bloody takeovers. (Photo: National Museum of Denmark).
By analyzing DNA samples from 100 human remains discovered in a border area between Southern Scandinavia and Denmark, researchers from Lund University (Sweden) uncovered something that history had not previously mentioned.
“This transformation process was previously considered peaceful,” explained Anne Birgitte Nielsen, a paleoecologist and the lead author of the study.
“Now, our research indicates the opposite. Many people died, and those deaths were incredibly brutal.”
Analysis reveals that approximately 5,900 years ago, a portion of what would later become farmers drove out the hunter-gatherers and fishermen who had previously inhabited the Scandinavian region.
Irreconcilable conflicts arose between these two groups. While one group wanted to continue their old way of life, the other sought to clear forests for agricultural land.
Ultimately, a bloody war ensued. This resulted in the complete erasure of the DNA of the hunter-gatherer group, with no remnants passed down to future generations.
“A brutal genocide occurred,” Nielsen stated. “No one survived. This could be the bloodiest transfer in history.”
Although the first farmers in Scandinavia emerged victorious and claimed the fertile land, their dominance was relatively short-lived.
Specifically, these farmers, known as the Funnelbeaker culture, maintained control for about 1,000 years before a wave of newcomers arrived from the east.
The newcomers brought lineage from the Yamnaya, a herding people originating from southern Russia. They quickly replaced the Funnelbeaker population and gave rise to a new cultural group.
According to the research team, these developments mirrored the previous genocide, as the DNA record of the preceding generation was erased from modern Danish culture.
The study provides evidence of bloody takeovers that occurred throughout human history, which may differ significantly from what has been recorded. Additionally, the findings enhance our understanding of genetics and our knowledge of ancient civilizations.
Author Nielsen also mentioned another hypothesis, suggesting that past populations may have been “erased” by disease rather than solely through mutual slaughter.
