A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Challenges of ancient DNA preservation in Finland: A report on unsuccessful samples
Authors: Nordfors, Ulla; Peltola, Sanni; Kuusela, Jari-Matti; Majander, Kerttu; Saari, Nelli-Johanna; Salo, Kati; Onkamo, Päivi
Publisher: The Archaeological Society of Finland
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Fennoscandia Archaeologica
Volume: XLII
First page : 99
Last page: 119
ISSN: 0781-7126
eISSN: 2737-0135
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61258/fa.161855
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://journal.fi/fennoscandiaarchaeologica/article/view/161855
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/505971054
Self-archived copy's licence: other license
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Ancient DNA (aDNA) research has rapidly expanded our understanding of past populations, yet its success remains highly dependent on biomolecular preservation. This article presents negative sampling outcomes from 85 individuals in Finland, sampled between 2017 and 2022. These individuals represent sampling efforts that failed to yield data for human population genetic analyses, corresponding to a success rate of approximately 44%. The failed dataset includes samples from a wide temporal and geographical range, from Bronze Age contexts to post-medieval burials, and notably, some of Finland’s most iconic archaeological individuals. Our findings align with previous studies and show that the petrous part of the temporal bone and teeth consistently outperform other skeletal elements in human DNA preservation. Preservation also varied by region, and possibly also by burial environment and post-excavation storage history.
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Funding information in the publication:
The Sugrige project has been supported by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, the Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation, and the Kone Foundation.
