Ancient DNA sheds light on the funerary practices of late Neolithic collective burial in southern France

The Aven de la Boucle (Corconne, Gard, Southern France) is a karst shaft used as a collective burial between 3,600 and 2,800 cal BCE. The site encompasses the skeletal remains of approximately 75 individuals comprising a large majority of adult individuals, represented by scattered and commingled remains. To date, few studies have explored the potential of ancient DNA to tackle the documentation of Neolithic collective burials, and the funerary selection rules within such structures remain largely debated. In this study, we combine genomic analysis of 37 individuals with archaeo-anthropological data and bayesian modelling of radiocarbon dates. Through this multidisciplinary approach, we aim to characterize the identity of the deceased and their relationships, as well as untangle the genetic diversity and funerary dynamics of this community. Genomic results identify 76% of male Neolithic individuals, suggesting a marked sex-biased selection. Available data emphasize the importance of bio..., , , # Ancient DNA sheds light on the funerary practices of late Neolithic collective burial in southern France

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.nvx0k6f0h](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.nvx0k6f0h)

Genomic data from 26 Neolithic individuals and 3 Bronze Age individuals from the Aven de la Boucle collective burial (France)

Raw sequenced data were obtained from half-UDG double-strand libraries sequenced on a NextSeq 500/550 High Output Kit v2.5 (2x75 Cycles) with dual barcoding.

All data generated by Bayesian modelling for Models 1 and 2.

## Description of the data and file structure

Organism: Homo sapiens

**Genomic data:**

Fastq from Shotgun sequencing (2 files: R1 and R2 for each samples): individuals BOU17,BOU20,BOU22,BOU24,BOU27-31,BOU34-36,BOU38-44

Fastq from Capture1240K (2 files: R1 and R2 for each samples):BOU2,BOU12,BOU13,BOU23,BOU25,BOU26,BOU32,BOU33,BOU37,BOU45

**BCL_bayesian-modelling:**

One zip file (BCL_bayesian-modelling) with all data from the two Bayesian models: takin...