1.The news article makes several claims about the study. It claims that the grave contained mother, father and two sons 8-9 and 4-5 years old and that this has been determined through DNA analysis and other testing. The evidence shows that this is true in grave 99, through the study of autosomal short tandem repeats (STR) and Y-STR. They were also able to reconstruct genetic relationships between the individuals in graves 98 and 99, and not in the other two graves. It claims that family is facing each other in the grave and this is unusual in Neolithic culture. The evidence shows that the positioning of the adults follows the Corded Ware Culture (CWC) which is common for the radiocarbon dates associated with these burials. The children facing the adults’ breaks this pattern, but possibly expresses a biological relationship (grave 99). It claims that “Unity in death suggests a unity in life”. The paper does state this but continues further to say “However, this does not establish the elemental family to be a universal model or the most ancient institution of human communities”. It also claims that the remains of 13 people wer buried simultaneously. The evidence shows that a violent event, a raid, caused the death of the individuals who were then buried by the survivors. The news article also claims that dental analysis shows females came from different regions then men and their children. This was to avoid inbreeding. It was also customary for the women to move to the men’s location. The paper shows that the strontium isotopes reflect this pattern. Although it is impossible to determine where the women grew up with present data the data show that the men and children were raised locally.
2. The conclusions drawn by the paper are all mentioned in the news article. The news article keeps the focus on the nuclear family although still addresses the other conclusions drawn in the paper. It speaks of the genetic tests that indicated that there was a nuclear family, and the importance of the burial style and its relations to the biological relationships. It also talks about the movement of women to prevent inbreeding. Along with plausible cause of death, a violent attack on the group.
3. The paper does not indicate any definite answers only strong possibilities followed by evidence to back their position. The news article does not show the same uncertainty.
4. The news article aims to show Neolithic culture in a similar manor to our ideals of what family is, in attempts to connect the story with its readers. The paper addresses this issue, and realizes the biases it creates in our interpretation of the data presented.
5. The introduction does not disprove previous hypothesis, but adds data to what is already known to create a clearer picture of the Corded Ware Culture.
6. The news article does not discuss alternative hypothesis that are not mentioned in the original paper. The news article does not present an objection to the paper.
Ancient DNA, Strontium isotopes, and osteological
analyses shed light on social and kinship organization
of the Later Stone Age
Scientists find prehistoric "nuclear family"