The research in this thesis is part of an archaeological study about the excavation of the old graveyard around the St. Plechelmus Basilica in Oldenzaal, The Netherlands. Between 2011 and 2013,...Show moreThe research in this thesis is part of an archaeological study about the excavation of the old graveyard around the St. Plechelmus Basilica in Oldenzaal, The Netherlands. Between 2011 and 2013, 2750 individuals were exhumed from this graveyard, and two atypical mass graves were encountered. A selection of 200 skeletons divided over five matrices , including the individuals from the mass graves, has been studied with advanced scientific methods, including ancient DNA by Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, Leiden University Medical Center. The meticulously conducted DNA research has resulted in generally very good quality DNA with no indications of contamination and with genetic profiles suitable for genetic kinship testing. Statistical analyses were carried out on the autosomal, Y-chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA data to test for kinship relationships, which resulted in indications of various genetic relationships. This thesis focuses on skeletons from matrix D, including one of the mass graves, consisting of 48 individuals. The DNA research demonstrates no genetic kinship for the six individuals in the mass grave. There were clear indications for kinship for five pairs of individuals from the non-mass grave area of matrix D. This thesis demonstrates the successful use of ancient DNA analyses for reconstructing kinship relationships in an archaeological context.Show less
In 2004 the remains of at least twenty individuals have been found in a medieval family grave in the St. Willibrordus church in Deurne. The grave was thought to belong to members of the van Doerne...Show moreIn 2004 the remains of at least twenty individuals have been found in a medieval family grave in the St. Willibrordus church in Deurne. The grave was thought to belong to members of the van Doerne family (15th and 16th century AD). Physical anthropological, genealogical, and DNA analysis was performed in order to obtain information that would allow us to identify these individuals. For this thesis additional DNA analysis was performed on seven individuals. By means of autosomal and Y-chromosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) analysis and Hyper Variable Region 1 (HVR1) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing, we attempted to reconstruct possible family relationships among these seven individuals. The probabilities of the reconstructed family relationships were estimated using specific statistical analysis. This allowed us to reconstruct a possible family tree. We also explored the possibilities of linking the reconstructed family tree to the existing genealogy.Show less
