Genetic, Morphological, and Archaeological Analysis for the Kinship of Skeletons from a Double Burial.

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We inferred the kinship of skeletons discovered from double burials at the Usu-Moshiri site in Hokkaido, Japan, by using detailed odontometric analysis in conjunction with mitochondrial DNA analysis. Two double burials were found at the site: one unearthed in 1985 consisted of two Epi-Jomon juvenile individuals (specimens 3A and 3B), and the other consisted of two latest Jomon adult females (specimens 16A and l6B) discovered in 1988. Consanguinity between the two skeletons found from these double burials was suggested by the archaeological context. The sequence of the segments of hypervariable region I and II of Mitochondrial DNA suggested the maternal kinship between 3A and 3B, whereas the maternal kinship between 16A and 16B was completely denied. Moreover, Q-mode correlations between 3A and 3B with respect to tooth crown measurements and proportions were consistently positive and very high. However, Q-mode correlations between 16A and 16B were consistently low or negative. Therefore, 3A and 3B were considered to be close maternal relatives, and 16A and 16B were considered to be strangers. This study demonstrated that combining odontological analysis with mitochondrial DNA testing may be effective for reliable and detailed kinship assessment of ancient skeletons.