For thousands of years, prehistoric communities across Europe made similar tools, created artwork, and followed shared burial traditions. Yet their DNA appeared to tell a different story. Now, DNA evidence from a woman who lived in the Pyrenees about 30,000 years ago has revealed ancestry linked to central Europe, suggesting that Ice Age populations were less isolated than previously believed.
The findings come from a study led by the University of Vienna and published in “Science Advances.” Researchers examined ancient human remains and genetic material recovered from caves in France, Spain, and southern Italy.
Ancient DNA challenges theories of isolated populations
The discovery centers on a bone recovered from Isturitz Cave in southwestern France during excavations in the 1950s. Researchers identified the remains as belonging to an adult woman who lived during the Gravettian period, roughly 34,000 to 25,000 years ago. Her DNA showed ancestry from two distinct populations. Most matched the Fournol group of western Europe, while a smaller portion was connected to the ancestors of the Věstonice group in central Europe.
A 30,000-year-old woman from the Pyrenees is rewriting Ice Age history. DNA analysis reveals unexpected links to central Europe, challenging the belief that ancient populations remained genetically isolated despite living hundreds of miles apart. pic.twitter.com/PTDExsfGfZ
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) October 26, 2026
The populations lived approximately 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) apart. Earlier studies suggested they remained genetically separate, despite sharing cultural practices. The Gravettian period is particularly known for its stone tools and carved female figures. Similar prehistoric Venus figurines have been discovered across Europe. Genetic analysis suggests the ancestral mixing occurred between 32,500 and 31,500 years ago. However, that estimate assumes a single mixing event.
Researchers believe Isturitz may have served as a meeting place where prehistoric groups gathered, exchanged goods, and formed relationships.
Cave DNA reveals population survival through extreme cold
The study also traced ancient ancestry in northern Spain, where researchers examined evidence from Chufín and El Mirón caves. At Chufín, a tooth belonging to a woman who lived around 26,000 years ago carried Fournol ancestry.
At El Mirón, scientists recovered human DNA from sediments dating back approximately 22,000 years, even though no human remains were found in that layer. Both discoveries indicate that western European ancestry persisted in the region during severe Ice Age conditions. The evidence supports the theory that the Iberian Peninsula provided shelter for ancient populations.
Other studies have also used DNA from Ice Age human remains to investigate prehistoric European ancestry. Researchers seek the origins of prehistoric genetic connections. In southern Italy, researchers analyzed DNA from an unborn boy buried with his mother. The findings suggest his parents shared similar ancestry and were not closely related.
The broader research adds to evidence of genetic diversity among early Europeans. However, scientists have not established how the ancestry linked to Central Europe reached the Pyrenees. Further genetic studies could help distinguish between direct population contact and ancestry inherited from earlier generations.
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