Female sex bias in Iberian megalithic societies through bioarchaeology, aDNA and proteomics

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 21818 - 13
• Main Authors: Marta, Díaz-Zorita Bonilla, Gonzalo, Aranda Jiménez, Margarita, Sánchez Romero, Rosa, Fregel, Katharina, Rebay-Salisbury, Fabian, Kanz, Miriam, Vílchez Suárez, Sonia, Robles Carrasco, Paula, Becerra Fuello, Alejandra C, Ordóñez, Michael, Wolf, Javier, González Serrano, Lara, Milesi García
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 23.09.2024; Nature Publishing Group UK; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: Age determination; Amelogenin peptide; Archaeology; DNA, Ancient - analysis; Female; Females; Funerary ritual; Gender; Gender archaeology; History, Ancient; Human remains; Humans; Iberian Peninsula; Iron Age; Male; Megalithism; Molecular sex; Prehistoric era; Proteomics; Proteomics - methods; Sex ratio; Sexism; Social conditions; Spain; Tombs; Traditions; Spain; Human osteology; Iberian Peninsula; Amelogenin peptide; Molecular sex; Gender archaeology; Funerary ritual; Megalithism
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72148-x

Uncertainties regarding traditional osteological methods in biological sex estimation can often be overcome with genomic and proteomic analyses. The combination of the three methodologies has been used for a better understanding of the gender-related funerary rituals at the Iberian megalithic cemetery of Panoría. As a result, 44 individuals have been sexed including, for the first time, non-adults. Contrary to the male bias found in many Iberian and European megalithic monuments, the Panoría population shows a clear sex ratio imbalance in favour of females, with twice as many females as males. Furthermore, this imbalance is found regardless of the criterion considered: sex ratio by tomb, chronological period, method of sex estimation, or age group. Biological relatedness was considered as possible sociocultural explanations for this female-related bias. However, the current results obtained for Panoría are indicative of a female-centred social structure potentially influencing rites and cultural traditions.