Funnelbeakers - ansarve, sorsum, ros005

The Funnel Beaker culture (also known as TRB, from the German "Trichterbecherkultur") was a Neolithic society that thrived in northern Europe, primarily in modern-day Denmark, northern Germany, Poland, and parts of the Netherlands, from around 40 to 27 centuries BCE. It is named after its characteristic pottery style—funnel-shaped beakers—which were often decorated with simple incised or stamped patterns. These vessels were typically made from clay and are considered one of the defining artifacts of the culture. The Funnel Beaker people were among the first in northern Europe to adopt farming, growing crops like wheat and barley and raising cattle, sheep, and pigs. They descended largely from the Neolithic farmers of Anatolia, although had a large portion of indigenous European hunter gatherer ancestry. Despite practicing agriculture, they also continued to hunt, fish, and gather wild resources, suggesting a gradual transition from a foraging to a farming society.

The social structure of the Funnel Beaker culture appears to have been complex, with evidence of both communal cooperation and social stratification. Large megalithic tombs, such as dolmens and passage graves, were constructed during this period, indicating an organized society capable of large-scale projects. These tombs were often used for collective burials, suggesting that the dead were venerated as a group rather than as individuals. However, the presence of grave goods like pottery, stone tools, and sometimes animal remains in these burial sites suggests that certain individuals may have had higher status. These megalithic tombs are often located in prominent positions in the landscape, reinforcing the idea that they were built to assert territorial control and social power.

The Funnel Beaker people’s burials reflect their beliefs in an afterlife and the importance of honoring the dead. The use of megalithic structures for burial indicates a strong connection to the land and a desire to create lasting monuments to the ancestors. Burials often included tools, pottery, and food offerings, likely meant to aid the deceased in the afterlife.

For this video, I gathered the raw DNA of 8 funnel beakers from scandinavia. I used my trait predictor tool for DNA analysis to generate trait and health reports for these 8 individuals.