A German family has lived in the same village for an estimated 3,000 years, according to DNA research that links a present-day resident to ancient human remains discovered just a couple of miles away.
Manfred Huchthausen, who lives in the village of Förste, was identified as a direct descendant of people who lived in the area around 1,000 BC. The finding connects him and his family to at least 120 generations who remained rooted in the same part of Germany. Scientists say this kind of continuity is extremely rare and was confirmed through DNA analysis that began in 2007.
The link traces back to a discovery made in 1980, when archaeologists found roughly 4,200 human bones inside a cave in Liechtenstein, a few miles from Förste. The remains belonged to 60 individuals, ranging in age from children to the elderly. The burial site was dated to roughly a millennium before the birth of Christ.
Ancient cave discovery sparks genetic investigation
Researchers also uncovered bronze jewelry, ceramic vessels, animal bones and fragments of ancient clothing at the site. According to Brigitte Moritz, director of the Bad Gründe Museum, the remains had originally been buried elsewhere and later relocated to the cave.
She said this secondary burial was part of a ritual believed to represent a passage to the afterlife. Traces of fire found in the cave suggest that ceremonies were held during the reburial process.
A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years
Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.
DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred… pic.twitter.com/yEo9ks64td
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In 2007, a team from the University of Göttingen extracted DNA from the ancient remains and invited local residents to provide saliva samples for comparison. Huchthausen was one of 120 volunteers.
Nine months later, he received a letter confirming his direct connection to the individuals buried in the cave. He was identified as one of the descendants, something he admitted he initially found surprising and confusing.
DNA links show German family has lived in the same village for millennia
Forensic analysis of the bones showed no signs of violent death or heavy manual labor. Scientists believe the people were salt traders, producing salt by distilling brine with vinegar in clay pots. The geography of the surrounding mountains would have supported this kind of work.
The DNA study also revealed similarities in physical features such as height, eye color, and hair color between the ancient group and modern residents of the region.
Huchthausen, who has two sons, said one of them still lives in the village, continuing the long line of family history in the area. He described Förste as so beautiful that one could simply dream of spending his or her life there for eternity.
