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‘Ava’: a Beaker-associated woman from a cist at Achavanich, Highland, and the story of her (re-)discovery and subsequent study
by Maya Hoole et al
This is the first time that an ancient DNA report has been published in the Society's Proceedings. It describes the discovery and subsequent investigation of a cist in a rock-cut pit at Achavanich, Highland, containing the tightly contracted skeletal remains of a young woman, accompanied by a Beaker, three flint artefacts and a cattle scapula.
This new paper includes two further radiocarbon dates, a detailed osteological report, isotopic information pertaining to the place where she had been raised and to her diet, histological information on the decomposition of her body, and genetic information that sheds light on her ancestry. Moreover, a facial reconstruction adds virtual flesh to her bones.
