The genetic landscape of northeastern Iberian communities from the early to late Iron Age Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre, Xavier Roca-Rada, Beatrice Di Biase, Diana C. Vinueza-Espinosa, Carolina Sandoval-Ávila, Shyamsundar Ravishankar, Nuria Molist Capella, Montserrat Duran i Caixal, Imma Mestres Santacreu, Emili Junyent, Natalia Alonso, Jordi Martinez Majoral, Anna Kjær Knudsen, Liam T. Lanigan, Hannes Schroeder, Bastien Llamas, Assumpció Malgosa, Cristina Santos Iscience, 2026 <h2>Summary</h2> During the Iron Age (800–100 BCE), northeastern Iberia was shaped by interactions among local communities and Mediterranean societies. Iberian cultural traditions developed along the coast from the sixth century BCE and persisted through major social transformations leading into the Roman period. We analyzed ancient genomic data from 54 newborn burials recovered beneath domestic structures at three sites spanning the early Iron Age to the early Roman period (775 BCE–50 CE). Genome-wide data were obtained for 22 individuals, with additional mitochondrial haplogroups for nine more. The results indicate genetic continuity from Bronze Age-derived local populations through the Iron Age, accompanied by increasing Mediterranean-related ancestry. This population structure remained largely stable until Roman expansion, after which additional genetic inputs contributed to a more heterogeneous population. These findings link long-term cultural continuity with gradual genetic change and illuminate population dynamics during a key period of social and political transition in northeastern Iberia.
Validating Dental Histology for Perinatal Age Estimation Using Human Deciduous Teeth Ani Martirosyan, Javier Irurita, Assumpció Malgosa, Judit Molera, Patrick Mahoney, Xavier Jordana American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 2026 Objectives This study tests the accuracy of dental histology for perinatal age estimation using deciduous teeth from modern human infants of known age. We evaluate whether enamel and dentin incremental structures, particularly the Neonatal Line (NNL), can be used to provide a reliable estimate of chronological age. Samples and Methods Seventeen unerupted deciduous teeth from 14 full‐term infants (0–164 days old) were analyzed from the Granada identified skeletal collection in Spain. Thin sections were examined under transmitted light and confocal microscopy to identify the NNL, cross‐striations, and von Ebner's lines. Daily secretion rates (DSR) were measured across crown and root to calculate crown formation time (CFT) and root formation time (RFT), which were compared with the documented ages at death. Results Mean enamel DSR was 3.38 μm/day, and mean root dentin DSR was 3.24 μm/day. Enamel DSRs varied between tooth types and crown regions. The NNL was identified in all individuals who survived birth and was absent in one stillbirth, confirming its reliability as an indicator of live birth. Prenatal CFTs fell within ranges reported for full‐term gestation, supporting the interpretation that all individuals were born at term. Histologically derived ages differed from recorded ages by an underestimation of 8 to an overestimation of 1 day, with a mean difference of 1 day. Conclusions Deciduous dental histology provides an accurate estimate of chronological age for human juveniles in the year after birth. These findings suggest that perinatal age estimates derived from dental histology can be applied in bioarchaeological and forensic contexts.
Uncovering a Medieval Pogrom: Genetic History of a Jewish Community in Catalonia (Spain) Laura Pallarés-Viña, Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre, M. Rosa Campoy-Caballero, Núria Armentano, Anna Colet, Assumpció Malgosa, Cristina Santos Genes, 2026 Background/Objectives. The Black Death pandemic, combined with the antisemitic climate of 14th-century Europe, led to widespread violence against Jewish communities, including numerous pogroms such as the one in 1348 in Tàrrega (Catalonia, Spain). In the Roquetes necropolis of Tàrrega, six communal graves containing at least sixty-nine individuals, with signs of violence, were dated to the mid-14th century. Based on the hypothesis that Iberian medieval Jewish communities preserve genetic similarities to other ancient and modern Jewish communities, our study aims to provide genomic information on medieval Iberian communities, which to date have been unknown. Methods. We analyzed DNA from sixteen individuals from the Roquetes necropolis using Twist ancient DNA enrichment capture. Several paleogenomic analyses based on nuclear DNA and uniparental markers were conducted to determine their genetic relatedness and population origin. Results. PCA and ADMIXTURE analyses revealed genetic affinities with ancient and modern Jewish populations. Uniparental markers, which exhibited high diversity, aligned with typical patterns within the Jewish community. The qpAdm modeling suggested that the genetic composition of the Roquetes population can be explained by a mixture of Canaan individuals (0.69) and the Iberian non-Jewish non-Islamic medieval population (0.31). No close genetic kinship was detected, but RHO analyses indicated a certain level of background endogamy. Conclusions. This is the first study to report genomic data for medieval Iberian Jews. Our findings reveal genomic affinities of the Roquetes individuals with ancient and modern Jewish populations and corroborate the previous attribution of the burials to victims of the 1348 Tàrrega pogrom.
Optimized in-solution enrichment of over a million ancient human SNPs Roberta Davidson, Xavier Roca-Rada, Shyamsundar Ravishankar, Leonard Taufik, Christian Haarkötter, Evelyn Collen, Matthew P. Williams, Peter Webb, M. Irfan Mahmud, Erlin Novita Idje Djami, Gludhug A. Purnomo, Cristina Santos, Assumpció Malgosa, Linda R. Manzanilla, Ana Maria Silva, Sofia Tereso, Vítor Matos, Pedro C. Carvalho, Teresa Fernandes, Anne-France Maurer, João C. Teixeira, Raymond Tobler, Lars Fehren-Schmitz, Bastien Llamas Genome Biology, 2025 BACKGROUND: In-solution hybridization enrichment of genetic markers is a method of choice in paleogenomic studies, where the DNA of interest is generally heavily fragmented and contaminated with environmental DNA, and where the retrieval of genetic data comparable between individuals is challenging. Here, we benchmark the commercial "Twist Ancient DNA" reagent from Twist Biosciences using sequencing libraries from ancient human samples of diverse demographic origin with low to high endogenous DNA content (0.1-44%). For each library, we tested one and two rounds of enrichment and assessed performance compared to deep shotgun sequencing. RESULTS: We find that the "Twist Ancient DNA" assay provides robust enrichment of approximately 1.2M target SNPs without introducing allelic bias that may interfere with downstream population genetics analyses. Additionally, we show that pooling up to 4 sequencing libraries and performing two rounds of enrichment is both reliable and cost-effective for libraries with less than 27% endogenous DNA content. Above 38% endogenous content, a maximum of one round of enrichment is recommended for cost-effectiveness and to preserve library complexity. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we provide researchers in the field of human paleogenomics with a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and limitations of different sequencing and enrichment strategies, and our results offer practical guidance for optimizing experimental protocols.
Mitochondrial DNA diversity in northeast Iberians during the Iron Age Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre, M. Rosa Campoy-Caballero, Carolina Sandoval-Ávila, Cesc Busquets i Costa, Marta Fàbregas i Espadaler, Alejandro G. Sinner, Gabriel de Prado, Nuria Molist Capella, Montserrat Duran i Caixal, Imma Mestres Santacreu, Natalia Alonso, Maria Pilar Aluja, Assumpció Malgosa, Cristina Santos Journal of Archaeological Science, 2025 Iberian culture emerged along the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula between the 8th and 6th century BCE, flourishing during the 5th-3rd BCE until the Roman conquest. Iberians engaged in metallurgy, agriculture, and livestock, and actively participated in Mediterranean commercial trade networks. Despite cremation being the predominant funerary practice, advances in ancient DNA techniques have enabled the recovery of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from an increasing number of Iberian individuals. Here, we analyzed the remains of 31 newborns, successfully obtaining mtDNA profiles for 21 individuals (20 Iberians and 1 Late Roman). These data were merged with 41 previously published mtDNA profiles from unrelated Iberians across different tribes of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Additional prehistoric data were compiled to contextualize Iberian haplogroups. We investigated maternal lineage diversity between tribes, temporal shifts in haplogroup composition, and signatures of long-distance female mobility. Our results revealed subtle differences in mtDNA haplogroup frequencies between groups, although genetic differentiation was not statistically significant. Mitochondrial diversity remained relatively high across all tribes, consistent with patrilocal mating systems and small-distance female migration that may have prevented strong matrilineal differentiation among tribes. A predominance of haplogroups H, J, K, HV0, and U was observed, most of which were already present in the Iberian Peninsula before the Iron Age. Haplogroup diversity remained stable over time, without population differentiation, suggesting maternal genetic continuity from the Bronze Age. However, the presence of some haplogroups pointed to occasional female-mediated gene flow from North Africa, the Near East, and Central Europe. Overall, this study provides the most comprehensive NGS-based assessment of maternal ancestry in Iron Age Iberians to date, revealing a genetic landscape shaped by local continuity alongside some long-distance female mobility linked to commercial trade and cultural interaction. • Ancient mtDNA reveals high maternal diversity in Iron Age Iberians. • Haplogroups show continuity from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age in northeast Iberia. • Subtle lineage differences found between Iberian groups, but no strong splits. • Local ancestry dominated, with long-distance contacts shaping diversity.
Trace elements, maturation processes and diagenesis in human deciduous incisors Ani Martirosyan, Xavier Jordana, Judith Juanhuix, Marine Cotte, Nuria Molist, Javier Irurita, Cristina Santos, Assumpció Malgosa, Patrick Mahoney, Judit Molera Journal of Archaeological Science, 2025 Post-mortem alteration of trace elements can complicate the interpretation of original biogenic signals related to diet, environment and enamel maturation processes. This study describes gradients in element concentrations for modern and archaeological deciduous incisor teeth to identify diagenetic variations in specific elements. Fifteen human deciduous incisors (six modern and nine archaeological) were prepared for synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence (SR μ-XRF) analysis targeting the minerals Ca, P, and selected trace elements Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Ba. Standard histological methods were employed to produce thin sections. Element concentrations, expressed in parts per million (ppm) and as a ratio of calcium (Ca), were measured from the outer enamel surface (OES), into the enamel, across the Neonatal Line (NNL) and enamel-dentin junction (EDJ), and into the dentin. Diagenesis was most pronounced on the external surfaces of enamel and dentin, with notable variability in Fe, Mn, Cu, and Ba. In contrast, Ca, P, and Zn levels remained stable across samples, with a slight increase in Zn at the NNL. There was no enrichment of Zn at the OES in enamel not yet matured (less than 33–37 postnatal days), suggesting that initial zinc incorporation is overshadowed by further deposition during maturation. Diagenetic alteration of the Fe, Mn, Cu, and Ba elements in deciduous incisor enamel appears to affect their concentration in regions of the archaeological teeth. The observed Ca and Zn distribution pattern reflects distinct enamel maturation stages, highlighting the need to consider both diagenetic influences and developmental processes in trace element analyses of ancient dental samples.
Genetic transitions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age at Mas d'en Boixos (Catalonia, Spain) Xavier Roca-Rada, Daniel R. Cuesta-Aguirre, Diana C. Vinueza-Espinosa, Roberta Davidson, Shyamsundar Ravishankar, Leonard Taufik, Núria Armentano, Xavier Esteve, Yassine Souilmi, João C. Teixeira, Assumpció Malgosa, Bastien Llamas, Cristina Santos Iscience, 2025 Mas d'en Boixos is a key prehistoric site in Northeastern Iberia spanning from the Early Neolithic to the Late Iron Age. We analyzed genome-wide data from eight individuals and ten mitogenomes, dated to the Middle Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, alongside three previously published Iron Age individuals. Two Middle Neolithic individuals buried together were first-degree maternal relatives and carried Western Hunter-Gatherer, Anatolian, and residual Magdalenian-associated ancestries. Conversely, six Early Bronze Age individuals buried in a hypogeum exhibited distinct mitochondrial lineages. Among them, three were third-degree relatives, and all males shared a Y-chromosome lineage, consistent with a collective burial of an extended family within a patrilocal society practicing possible female exogamy. These individuals showed genetic continuity with additional Steppe-related ancestry, which displayed a subtle southward gradient across Iberia. We also identified an Eastern European mitochondrial lineage-challenging the proposed male-driven Bronze Age transition-and Mediterranean gene flow-suggesting dynamic interactions across the sea.
A Post-Mortem Molecular Damage Profile in the Ancient Human Mitochondrial DNA Daniel R. Cuesta‐Aguirre, Cristina Amor‐Jimenez, Assumpció Malgosa, Cristina Santos Molecular Ecology Resources, 2025 Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis is crucial for understanding human population structure and genetic diversity. However, post‐mortem DNA damage poses challenges, that make analysis difficult. DNA preservation is affected by environmental conditions which, among other factors, complicates the differentiation of endogenous variants from artefacts in ancient mtDNA mix profiles. This study aims to develop a molecular damage profile for ancient mtDNA that can become a useful tool in analysing mtDNA from ancient remains. A dataset of 427 whole genomes or capture of mtDNA sequences from individuals representing different historical periods and climatic regions was compiled from the ENA database. Present‐day and UDG‐treated ancient samples were also included and used to establish levels of damaged reads. Results indicated that samples from cold regions exhibited the lowest percentage of damaged reads, followed by arid, cold, tropical and temperate regions, with significant differences observed between cold and temperate regions. A global damage profile was generated, identifying 2933 positions (25% of the positions considered) with damage in more than 23.8% of the samples analysed, deemed as damage hotspots. Notably, 2856 of these hotspots had never been reported as damage or mutational hotspots, or heteroplasmic positions. Damage hotspot frequency by position was slightly higher in the non‐coding region compared with the coding region. In conclusion, this study provides a molecular damage profile for ancient mtDNA analysis that is expected to be a valuable tool in the interpretation of mtDNA variation in ancient samples.
What does lime tell us about cadaveric remains? Aida Gutiérrez, Dominika Nociarová, Assumpció Malgosa, Yolanda Fernández-Jalvo, Núria Armentano Historical Biology, 2025 Lime is commonly used in human burials, but its effects on bodies are not clear at all. Different short-time experimental studies concluded that lime does not inhibit the decomposition of bodies. To provide the long-term effects of lime on bodies, this work presents the results of six burials of pig carcasses completely or partially covered with lime during 5 to 5 years. These experiments were carried out in the experimental facilities of Taphos-m project. After that period of time, all pig carcasses were completely or partially skeletonised, and the Bradford score values were about 90% (active decomposition). Lime casts were observed, surrounding and covering some pig cadaveric remains. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed preservation of lime remains on bones in the cases when no lime casts were observed in the burial. Also, persistence of unexpected anatomical position (bone spatial distribution) by lime could be observed. The cortical surface of the bones was flaked and cracked, related to dryness in a permanent alkaline environment produced by lime inside burials.
Joint disassociation pattern from a taphonomical and anthropological point of view Dominika Nociarová, Aida Gutiérrez, Núria Armentano, Pere Ibáñez-Gimeno, Ignasi Galtés, Assumpció Malgosa Historical Biology, 2025 Understanding the way in which skeleton is disarticulated helps to interpret taphonomical process during the human decomposition and the evolution of corpses in advanced state of decomposition. This information may help to reconstruct the burial circumstances. Joint disassociation pattern could seem easy to deduce but slight movements of bones or subjective interpretation of position makes the correct taphonomical interpretation difficult. The aim of this study is to develop a method to analyse the joint disassociation pattern of different articulations that can be useful in diverse burial circumstances. Different bone articulations from 54 unclaimed skeletal human remains from cemetery conditions (i.e. bodies buried in a void and limited by coffins and clothes) were examined. Joints were classified as articulated, disarticulated or displaced, depending on the minimum number of unidirectional movements needed to rebuild them. This method could be helpful to interpret changes related with the post mortem environment or human intervention, as well as to describe the funerary ritual in ancient remains and the circumstances surrounding the death in a forensic context.
Multidisciplinary analysis of a mummy from the War of the Pacific Eduardo Saldías, Gabriela Valdebenito, Luis Zamora, Bruno Bastías, Cristian Flores, Bernardo Vila, Diana Vinueza, Carlos Tornero, Assumpció Malgosa, Eduardo Becker Anthropologischer Anzeiger, 2022
Genetic identification of Spanish civil war victims. The state of the art in Catalonia (Northeastern Spain) S. Palomo-Díez, C. Gomes, A.M. López-Parra, C. Baeza-Richer, I. Cuscó, C. Raffone, E. García-Arumí, D.C. Vinueza-Espinosa, C. Santos, N. Montes, R. Rasal, O. Escala, J. Cuellar, E. Subirá, F. Casals, A. Malgosa, E. Tizzano, E. Tartera, G. Domenech, E. Arroyo-Pardo Forensic Science International Genetics Supplement Series, 2019
Perimortem fracture pattern in ribs by blunt force trauma Sarah Scheirs, Willeke Langenhorst, Assumpció Malgosa, Marisa Ortega-Sánchez, Hannah McGlynn, Cristina Santos, Xavier Jordana, Alfonso Rodriguez-Baeza, Ignasi Galtés International Journal of Legal Medicine, 2018
Where do those remains come from? Dominika Nociarová, M. Jose Adserias, Assumpció Malgosa, Ignasi Galtés Forensic Science International, 2014
Study of dental occlusion in ancient human remains: A methodological approach Collegium Antropologicum, 2014
Molecular analysis of ancient caries Marc Simón, Rafael Montiel, Andrea Smerling, Eduvigis Solórzano, Nancy Díaz, Brenda A. Álvarez-Sandoval, Andrea R. Jiménez-Marín, Assumpció Malgosa Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 2014
Unilateral cholesteatoma in the first millennium BC Núria Armentano, Assumpció Malgosa, Brígida Martínez, Pedro Abelló, Manuel de Juan Delago, Gemma Prats-Muñoz, Albert Isidro Otology and Neurotology, 2014
An ovarian teratoma of late Roman age Núria Armentano, Mercè Subirana, Albert Isidro, Oscar Escala, Assumpció Malgosa International Journal of Paleopathology, 2012
New discoveries of human remains in the Orce site, Granada, Spain Comptes Rendus Academie Des Sciences Serie II Sciences De La Terre Et Des Planetes, 1994
