News Archaeology

Ancient DNA unveils disparate fates of Ice Age hunter-gatherers in Europe

A new study is the largest to date of ancient Europeans’ DNA

An artistic portrayal of a southeastern European hunter-gatherer from the Gravettian culture. The man has dark skin and dark hair. He is wearing a skull cap, necklace and a fur shawl.

This artistic portrayal of a southeastern European hunter-gatherer from the Gravettian culture, which dates to between 33,000 and 26,000 years ago, was inspired by newly analyzed genetic evidence and previous archaeological finds.

Tom Bjoerklund

By Bruce Bower

Ice sheets expanded across much of northern Europe from around 25,000 to 19,000 years ago, making a huge expanse of land unlivable.