Genetics of the Pitted Ware Culture

The Pitted Ware Culture (circa 3200–2300 BCE) was a hunter-gatherer society that thrived in the coastal regions of present-day Sweden, Finland, and parts of Denmark. This culture is named after the characteristic pottery they produced, which was decorated with pit-like impressions. Unlike neighboring agricultural communities, the Pitted Ware people relied heavily on marine resources, such as fishing, seal hunting, and gathering. They were known for their large coastal settlements, often located near rich fishing grounds, which suggests a strong maritime focus in their economy. The culture also demonstrates a continued connection to earlier Mesolithic hunter-gatherer traditions, despite the surrounding influence of farming cultures like the Funnelbeaker Culture. The Pitted Ware people left behind a material culture rich in distinctive artifacts, including tools made from stone and bone, as well as pottery with their signature pitted designs. Burial practices reveal that they likely had complex social structures, with individuals sometimes buried with elaborate grave goods such as weapons, animal bones, and ornaments made from amber and animal teeth. Interaction between the Pitted Ware Culture and neighboring agricultural societies is evident through trade and cultural exchanges, though they maintained a distinct way of life centered around hunting, gathering, and fishing rather than adopting farming practices. Despite their non-agricultural lifestyle, genetic studies have shown that Pitted Ware people contributed significantly to the gene pool of later Scandinavian populations. Link to research data: Buy my trait predictor executable here: Buy all the samples used in this study here: