Media type: E-Article Title: United in death—related by blood? Genetic and archeometric analyses of skeletal remains from the neolithic earthwork bruchsal‐aue Contributor: Keller, Marcel; Rott, Andreas; Hoke, Nadja; Schwarzberg, Heiner; Regner‐Kamlah, Birgit; Harbeck, Michaela; Wahl, Joachim imprint: Wiley, 2015 Published in: American Journal of Physical Anthropology Language: English DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22738 ISSN: 0002-9483; 1096-8644 Keywords: Anthropology ; Anatomy Origination: Footnote: Description: <jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:label /><jats:p>Objectives: Straight next to a segment of the outer ditch of the Late Neolithic Michelsberg Culture earthwork of Bruchsal‐Aue in SW‐Germany (ca. 4250–3650 calBC), a multiple burial of eight individuals (two male adults and six children) plus a subsequent child burial was excavated. In this study, we applied a multidisciplinary approach to elucidate interpersonal relationships and life histories within this collective. Materials and methods: To determine the identity of this collective, we performed aDNA analyses in addition to osteological examination using HVR I plus Y‐chromosomal and autosomal STR profiling to find evidence for kinship relations. Strontium isotopic analyses were used to reconsider migrational behavior. To find evidence for a specific social affiliation, the individual diet was reconstructed by performing nitrogen and carbon isotopic analyses. Furthermore, radiocarbon‐dating was carried out to integrate the burial context into an absolute timeframe. Two nearby single burials were included in the analyses for comparison. Results: Because of a shared HVR I haplotype, three pairs of individuals were most likely linked by kinship, and statistical testing on autosomal STR profiles shows a high probability for the pair of two men being brothers. Although it cannot be excluded, isotopic data gave no clear proof for migration. A rather poor health status is indicated by skeletal stress markers even though the isotope data attest to a diet rich in meat and fish. Discussion: Although clear kinship relations among the infants remain unconfirmed, a relationship could also be indicated by the positioning of the bodies in the burial pit. Whereas a common cause of death might have been the presupposition for their special treatment, interpersonal relationships were likely the decisive factor for the multiple burial. Am J Phys Anthropol 157:458–471, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</jats:p></jats:sec>