Genetic Insights into Italy's Epigravettian Hunter-Gatherers

The peopling of Europe by anatomically modern humans occurred over 45 kya. While there is a broad understanding of the genetic diversity of ancient hunter-gatherers in central and northern Europe, our knowledge of Italy remains limited. In this study, we present four new genomes from hunter-gatherers buried in two central-southern Italy sites (Grotta del Romito and Riparo Vado All'Arancio), dating back approximately 19,000 to 12,500 cal. years ago. Our analysis reveals the presence of a previously unrecognized ancestry in Europe: Romito9-like which, through admixture with the Fournol cluster, contributed to the genetic makeup of the El Mirón, and, mixing with a Balkan component, helped shape the ancestry of the Villabruna cluster. Following the Last Glacial Maximum, we observe the spread of the Oberkassel-Villabruna cluster, which admixed with Romito9-like genetic component across much of Italy, except in Sicily, where the continuity of Romito9-like ancestry persisted until the Mesolithic.