Remains from an old Irish tomb yield secrets of a royal lineage with a pattern of incestuous relationships.

A dig at an ancient tomb in Ireland has uncovered some shocking truths about the Neolithic era's ruling class. It seems these elites were far from ordinary, as a study by scientists from Trinity College Dublin reveals incestual relationships were rife among them.

The remains of a man found in the center of Newgrange, a 5,200-year-old monument in County Meath, showed striking similarities between his genetic makeup and that of his parents. Genome analysis, reported in the journal Nature, confirmed that he was the product of a first-degree relative union, most likely a brother-sister duo.

The evidence hints that this individual held a high social position, and the researchers believe the practice of incestuous relationships among the buried signifies the presence of a potent ruling dynasty. Similar patterns can be seen in historical examples such as European royal families, ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, or the rulers of the Incas in Peru – all of whom utilized incestuous unions to secure their dynastic bloodlines.

"This marks the first known instance of an elite practicing dynastic incest," said Dr Lara Cassidy, the paper's first author from the Smurfit Institute of Genetics at Trinity College Dublin. Genetics has enabled us to surpass the limitations of written records.

Interestingly, genetic links also appear between the person buried in Newgrange and other high-ranking elites found in various regions across Ireland, including Carrowmore and Carrowkeel in County Sligo, as well as Brú na Bóinne and the Millin Bay monument, which are 150 kilometers (93 miles) away. This points to a powerful, extended kin-group that had privileged access to elite burial sites for half a millennium.

Surprisingly, a local myth tells of a builder-king who restarted the daily solar cycle by sleeping with his sister. While the tale is first documented in the 11th century CE, it is believed to have existed orally for much longer. The genetic evidence from Newgrange's burial chambers seems to echo this story, adding another layer to the mystery.

However, a recent international study published in the journal Antiquity challenges this view. The researchers found that incest was exceptionally rare among Neolithic Irish remains and not a defining feature of social organization in Neolithic Ireland. Thus, though Newgrange and related sites are indeed significant burial places for a select group within Neolithic Irish society, the idea that they represent an incestuous social elite has been questioned by this new research.

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Remains from an old Irish tomb yield secrets of a royal lineage with a pattern of incestuous relationships.