Lichtenstein Cave

I-L38 (I2b2) and the Lichtenstein cave (1000 BC -750 BC)

Members of haplogroup I2b2 often are nicknamed ‘Lichtensteiners’ because thirteen, 3000 year old, I2b2-skelettons were found in the Lichtenstein cave in Osterode am Harz.

The bones were discovered in 1980 and concerned 40 individuals; 19 men and 21 women. Because the bones were covered 3000 years with plaster and the cave was not visited by men; the bones were so well conserved that DNA could be extracted.

Dating

Based on the metal and ceramic artefacts the founds in the cave can be dated somewhere between 1000 to 700 BC, thus in the Urnfield period of the Late Bronze Age. This culture was spread from West Hungary to the East of France; from the Alps to the North Sea. Local groups mainly can be distinguished by their pottery.

A bronze fibula, a pendant(polished dog’s tooth; a bronze spiral shaped bracelet, pottery and a bronze arrow point.

Culturally the artefacts belong to the Unstrut Group (1300-800 BC) which was spread in Thüringen and was a subculture of the Urnfield culture. The Unstrut culture flourished between the River Unstrut and the southern Harz Mountains. It was centred around the fertile grounds of the Thüringen basin where people farmed. Just like the other German bronze cultures, the Unstrut culture probably has it’s roots in the TRB culture. The disapperance of the Unstrut culture seems to coincidence with the ending of the use of the cave as burial chamber. The Unstrut culture also is seen as one of the bronze cultures that lead to the first unified Germanic culture: the Jastorf culture.

DNA-research concluded that the skeletons belonged to one family clan, spread over 4 to5 generations. The reconstructed family tree looks like this:

The family tree supports the theory that the cave was used as a family burial chamber; it also indicates that cremation was not as common practice in the Urnfield culture as presumed

In other caves too human bones were found with strong indications to practices of ritual sacrifices. It is known that the Unstrut culture sacrificed human beings and even performed acts of ritual cannibalism. This is the reason why researchers first thought that the bones in the Lichtenstein cave were remains of ritual sacrifice. Closer investigation pointed out that none of the bones showed signs of violence or post-mortem cut ups. Also it is very unlikely that an entire family (young and old) was sacrificed; mostly only young women were sacrificed.

STR analysis of the Y-DNA showed that out of the 19 men (according the Whit Athey Haplogroup Predictor https://home.comcast.net/~hapest5/hapest5b/hapest5.htm?order=num) 13 belonged to haplogroup I2b2. These 13 members of haplogroup I2b2 could be assigned to 4 haplotypes: Y1, Y2, Y4 en Y6.

HT\DYS	391	398i	439	389ii	438	437	19	392	393	390	385a	385b	∑	HG
Y1	11	12	11	28	10	15	16	11	13	25	13	17	6	I2b (100%)
Y2	11	12	11	27	10	15	15	11	13	25	13	17	3	I2b (100%)
Y4	11*	12	11*		10		17*						1	I2b (91.4%)
Y6	11	12	11	28	10	15	16	11	13	24	13	17	3	I2b (100%)
Y3	11	13	12	29	12	15	14	13	13	23	11	14	1	R1b (100%)
Y5	11	13	11	30	11	14	15	11	13	25	11	13	2	R1a (100%)

*: Uncertain

The Lichtenstein-men not belonging to haplogroup I, mainly belong to haplogroup R1b S21+ (aka R1b1c9), which is common in Northwest Germany and Frisia.

Network analysis shows that Y6 and Y1 are members of haplogroup I2b2-B and are closely related, Y2 probably belongs to haplogroup I2b2-C (probably a variant of I2b2-B). Because of the lack of sufficient STR values the haplogroup of Y4 is not clear.

In 2006 a DNA-investigation was conducted among 220 inhabitants of the Sösethal who lived there for at least 3 generations. Eleven testing persons had the same STR-values as the majority of the Lichtenstein individuals. Five men belonged to the rare I2b2-haplotype. So it seems that these families lived for more than 3000 years in the same region.

Of the 36 female skelettons:

§ 17 belonged to the mitochondrional haplogroup H;

§ 9 to mtHg U, 5 too MtHG T;

§ 5 to MtHG J.

Another conclusion is that the number of mitochondrianal haploypes (20) is higher than the number of Y-DNA haplotypes (5). This supports the theory that the culture of the Lichtensteiners was “patrilocal” (where women married into the family of their husband).

Related research

In the bronze age the nuclear family was the most important biological, social and economical unit. Settlements existed out of 5 to 8 families of 5 to 10 members each. These extended families lived for 3 to5 generations is the same community. After this period the soil was exhausted and new ground were searched for.

Probably the Lichtenstein-people lived near a fortification (burg); the cave is located along a road that connects the Pipinsburg of Osterode with the Thüringer plain. A burg indicates stormy and/or unsafe times but also is an indication of a vivid economy. These locations were centres of trade and craftmenship.

In the cave also bones of cattle were found. Because of this 27 ‘Lichtensteiners’ were tested on lactose tolerance. About 60% were lactose tolerant, 40% appeared to be lactose intolerant (or could not digest milk). These high rates of intolerant individuals suggest that even if stock farming was done consume of milk was not a daily habit. The mutation to digest milk is commonly associated with herding people (in contrast to hunting people).

Today 95% of the Europeans is lactose tolerant. This mutation seems to have originated among the cattle herding TRB people who lived 6000 to 5000 years ago in North and Central Europe

DNA research indicates that the Lichteinsteiners had blond or dark hair and had a skin that was not UV-sensible. Skeletical analysis concludes that the men were strongly built and had a length.of about 1.70m. Women were about 1m60 tall. These lengths are similar to the average lengths in the bronze age.

In the Höhleninformationszentrum in Bad Grund a Lichtenstein cave museum is opened. Highlight of the museum is the scientific facial reconstruction of a family with a I2b2 father: Y2.

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