EAPSI: Using Ancient DNA to Determine Biological Kinship in a Bronze Age Cemetery, China

从考古学背景下出土的个体中恢复的古代DNA(ADNA)的分析已经成为增进对过去人口及其文化的了解的宝贵工具。这项研究项目将使用DNA作为工具来描绘从吉林省大安市后陶木加墓地汉书二号墓群1出土的个体之间存在的生物亲属关系，如果有的话，中国。对样本个体之间的遗传关系的分析将确定埋葬在后陶木加的个体是否在生物上有关联，如果是的话，亲属关系在墓地内是否存在社会分层。由于这种文化标志着从田园经济到混合农业生存的社会转型时期，这是理解社会组织的一个特别重要的研究地点。这项研究将在吉林大学古代DNA实验室崔银奎博士的建议下，与吉林大学中国边疆考古中心合作进行。在这一时期，个人被埋葬在联合墓穴或单独埋葬的土墓中，这表明个人之间的社会分层。拟议的项目将分析从这两种墓穴类型出土的个人中提取的DNA，以揭示墓葬中生物亲缘关系的可能性，以及埋葬在地位较高和地位较低的墓地中的个人之间的生物关系(如果有的话)。将对每个个体的线粒体DNA(MtDNA)的高变区(HVRI)以及男性个体的Y染色体进行测序。如果aDNA回收率足够，还将进行双亲常染色体遗传标记的分析。到目前为止，还没有对青铜时代中国汉书二世时期的遗骸进行墓内亲属关系的遗传分析。因此，该项目将有助于在经济意义重大的社会转型时期更细致入微地了解汉书二号文化。该NSF EAPSI奖支持一名美国研究生的研究，并与中国科技部合作提供资金。

The analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA) recovered from individuals excavated from archaeological contexts has become a valuable tool for improving understanding of past populations and their cultures. This research project will use aDNA as a tool to delineate the biological kinship relationships present, if any, amongst individuals excavated from the Hanshu II Burial Group 1 of the Houtaomuga cemetery in Da?an, Jilin Province, China. Analysis of genetic relatedness between the sampled individuals will determine if individuals buried at Houtaomuga are biologically related and, if so, whether kinship is socially stratified within the cemetery. As this culture marks a period of social transition from a pastoral economy to mixed agriculture subsistence, this is a particularly important research site for understanding social organization. The research will be conducted under the advisement of Dr. Yinqui Cui at the Jilin University Ancient DNA Laboratory, in collaboration with the Chinese Center for Frontier Archaeology at Jilin University. During this period, individuals were buried in either joint burial catacomb tombs or single burial earthen graves, indicating social stratification between individuals. The proposed project will analyze aDNA extracted from individuals excavated from both tomb types to reveal the probability of biological kinship within burials, as well as the biological relationship, if any, between individuals interred in high-status and lower-status burials. The hypervariable region (HVRI) of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) will be sequenced for each individual, as well as the Y-chromosome of male individuals. If the rate of aDNA recovery is sufficient, analysis of biparental autosomal genetic markers will also be conducted. No genetic analysis of intracemetery kinship has thus far been performed on remains from the Hanshu II cultural period of Bronze Age China. Thus, this project will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of Hanshu II culture at a time of economically significant social transition. This NSF EAPSI award supports the research of a U.S. graduate student and is funded in collaboration with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.