Migrations facilitated the cultural diffusion of megaliths in Neolithic Europe
- 1The Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark & Centre for Ancient Environmental Genomics, Globe In
Abstract
Around 6700 BP (years before present), Neolithic Europe saw the emergence of megalithic monuments in northern France, followed by a rapid spread to the rest of the continent1. However, whether this was driven by the transmission of ideas (cultural diffusion) or the movement of people remains debated. To test whether this spread coincided with population movements, we reconstructed the population history of the European Neolithic ([~]6500-4800 BP) by analysing genomic data from 2963 ancient individuals, including 46 unpublished genomes from megalithic and related contexts. To assess the alternative scenario whereby megaliths spread through contact networks, as expected under cultural diffusion, we integrated archaeological evidence with radiocarbon chronologies to reconstruct past trading networks. We identify northern France, where megaliths first emerged, as a zone of genetic admixture and cultural influence from the two major early Neolithic divisions: the Cardial of the Western Mediterranean and the Linear Pottery traditions of central Europe. From this admixed population, we uncover several migrations associated with the formation of the Funnel Beaker Culture in north-central Europe and the neolithisation of Scandinavia and the British Isles. We find that megaliths were spread exclusively within regions impacted by Cardial-related genetic ancestry, but only in the British Isles and Ireland did their emergence coincide with the time of the migration. The temporal delay between the migrations and the spread of megaliths elsewhere reveals that neither population movements nor cultural diffusion alone fully explains the geospatial distribution of the megalithic tradition. Rather, megaliths diffused across different Neolithic groups whose long-distance trade networks formed in the wake of earlier population movements. Our findings highlight the need to move beyond simplistic interpretations that present migrations or cultural diffusion as isolated events bringing technological and cultural innovations.
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BibTeX
@misc{mccoll2026migrations,
title = {{Migrations facilitated the cultural diffusion of megaliths in Neolithic Europe}},
author = {H. McColl and B. Schulz Paulsson and S. Shennan and R. Nielsen and T. Pinotti and J. Woodbridge and R. Fyfe and M. G. Melis and C. Isendahl and R. Peyroteo Stjerna and V. Sparacello and R. Potter and C. Costeira and E. Porfirio and B. Philippsen and A. M. Silva and A. F. Carvalho and P. Petrequin and S. Cassen and G. Kroonen and A. Blanchard and J.-N. Guyodo and A. Bini and J. Paulsson and V. Dahl and J. Moita and M. Hjorth and A. B. Porksen and J. Stenderup and C. Gaunitz and L. Vinner and M. Sikora and M. E. Allentoft and K. Kristiansen and E. Willerslev},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.24.753699},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.24.753699v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Migrations facilitated the cultural diffusion of megaliths in Neolithic Europe
AU - H. McColl
AU - B. Schulz Paulsson
AU - S. Shennan
AU - R. Nielsen
AU - T. Pinotti
AU - J. Woodbridge
AU - R. Fyfe
AU - M. G. Melis
AU - C. Isendahl
AU - R. Peyroteo Stjerna
AU - V. Sparacello
AU - R. Potter
AU - C. Costeira
AU - E. Porfirio
AU - B. Philippsen
AU - A. M. Silva
AU - A. F. Carvalho
AU - P. Petrequin
AU - S. Cassen
AU - G. Kroonen
AU - A. Blanchard
AU - J.-N. Guyodo
AU - A. Bini
AU - J. Paulsson
AU - V. Dahl
AU - J. Moita
AU - M. Hjorth
AU - A. B. Porksen
AU - J. Stenderup
AU - C. Gaunitz
AU - L. Vinner
AU - M. Sikora
AU - M. E. Allentoft
AU - K. Kristiansen
AU - E. Willerslev
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/24
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.24.753699
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.24.753699v1
AB - Around 6700 BP (years before present), Neolithic Europe saw the emergence of megalithic monuments in northern France, followed by a rapid spread to the rest of the continent1. However, whether this was driven by the transmission of ideas (cultural diffusion) or the movement of people remains debated. To test whether this spread coincided with population movements, we reconstructed the population history of the European Neolithic ([~]6500-4800 BP) by analysing genomic data from 2963 ancient individuals, including 46 unpublished genomes from megalithic and related contexts. To assess the alternative scenario whereby megaliths spread through contact networks, as expected under cultural diffusion, we integrated archaeological evidence with radiocarbon chronologies to reconstruct past trading networks. We identify northern France, where megaliths first emerged, as a zone of genetic admixture and cultural influence from the two major early Neolithic divisions: the Cardial of the Western Mediterranean and the Linear Pottery traditions of central Europe. From this admixed population, we uncover several migrations associated with the formation of the Funnel Beaker Culture in north-central Europe and the neolithisation of Scandinavia and the British Isles. We find that megaliths were spread exclusively within regions impacted by Cardial-related genetic ancestry, but only in the British Isles and Ireland did their emergence coincide with the time of the migration. The temporal delay between the migrations and the spread of megaliths elsewhere reveals that neither population movements nor cultural diffusion alone fully explains the geospatial distribution of the megalithic tradition. Rather, megaliths diffused across different Neolithic groups whose long-distance trade networks formed in the wake of earlier population movements. Our findings highlight the need to move beyond simplistic interpretations that present migrations or cultural diffusion as isolated events bringing technological and cultural innovations.
ER -