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The aurochs (Bos primigenius) was once widespread in Europe, Asia and North Africa. The aurochs was both the ancestor of domestic cattle, and co-existed alongside them for millennia post domestication, before going extinct in 1627. Several studies have suggested that admixture occurred between wild aurochs populations and domestic cattle. To contribute towards our understanding of this process, we generated near complete mitochondrial genomes (between 15063 and 16338 nucleotides) from material derived from the horn of the last aurochs bull (died in 1620) as well as five medieval period Scandinavian drinking horns that have been attributed to aurochs based on their size. Phylogenetic analysis on the data shows that three drinking horns carry European aurochs haplotype P, while two of the drinking horns and the horn of the last aurochs bull carry modern domestic taurine cattle T haplotypes. Our results therefore demonstrate that drinking horns may represent a unique source of material with which to study aurochs genetics, and that the last European aurochs likely underwent a degree of admixture with domestic cattle. We anticipate that future analysis of the nuclear DNA content of such horns will be able to shed further light into the specifics of these admixture events.

The aurochs (Bos primigenius) was once widespread in Europe, Asia and North Africa. The aurochs was both the ancestor of domestic cattle, and co-existed alongside them for millennia post domestication, before going extinct in 1627. Several studies have suggested that admixture occurred between wild aurochs populations and domestic cattle. To contribute towards our understanding of this process, we generated near complete mitochondrial genomes (between 15063 and 16338 nucleotides) from material derived from the horn of the last aurochs bull (died in 1620) as well as five medieval period Scandinavian drinking horns that have been attributed to aurochs based on their size. Phylogenetic analysis on the data shows that three drinking horns carry European aurochs haplotype P, while two of the drinking horns and the horn of the last aurochs bull carry modern domestic taurine cattle T haplotypes. Our results therefore demonstrate that drinking horns may represent a unique source of material with which to study aurochs genetics, and that the last European aurochs likely underwent a degree of admixture with domestic cattle. We anticipate that future analysis of the nuclear DNA content of such horns will be able to shed further light into the specifics of these admixture events.

The King’s castle on Kalø – New investigationsKalø castle ruin, with its beautiful location on an island south of the great Djursland peninsula on the east coast of Jutland, is one of the most visited ancient monuments in Denmark (fig. 1). There are still considerable remains of the castle, with its surrounding banks and ditches, and the whole island was once part of the monument. The cobbled causeway, which leads out from the mainland to the island, was probably constructed at the same time as the castle.Kalø’s history extends over about 350 years, from the construction of the castle in AD 1313-14 in connection with King Erik Menved’s suppression of violent revolts in Northern Jutland, until its abandonment in AD 1660, by which time the castle had completely lost its significance.The main castle occupied an area of 80x70 m, enclosed within a ring wall. It was divided up into a quadratic courtyard, with buildings constructed up against the ring wall, preceded by a rectangular forecourt (fig. 3). A mighty tower or keep guarded the narrow entrance to the inner courtyard and the ruins of the tower are still the best preserved part of the castle. In front of the main castle lies a further castle mound of about 50x50 m which is referred to as “Ridebanen” (“The Riding Ground”).In the summer of 2006, the National Museum carried out an excavation on Kalø in order to discover whether there was settlement on the island outside the main castle itself (fig. 4). Whereas the great castle ruin was exposed and investigated by the architect C.M. Smidt during the first half of the 20th century, the rest of the island has remained more-or-less untouched. We know that a four-winged farm, enclosing a farmyard, was constructed here, but very little is known about this and its connection with the two water-filled ditches in front of it. In order to find out more, an archaeological investigation was necessary. Accordingly, a transverse trial trench was dug between the farm and one of the d

The King’s castle on Kalø – New investigationsKalø castle ruin, with its beautiful location on an island south of the great Djursland peninsula on the east coast of Jutland, is one of the most visited ancient monuments in Denmark (fig. 1). There are still considerable remains of the castle, with its surrounding banks and ditches, and the whole island was once part of the monument. The cobbled causeway, which leads out from the mainland to the island, was probably constructed at the same time as the castle.Kalø’s history extends over about 350 years, from the construction of the castle in AD 1313-14 in connection with King Erik Menved’s suppression of violent revolts in Northern Jutland, until its abandonment in AD 1660, by which time the castle had completely lost its significance.The main castle occupied an area of 80x70 m, enclosed within a ring wall. It was divided up into a quadratic courtyard, with buildings constructed up against the ring wall, preceded by a rectangular forecourt (fig. 3). A mighty tower or keep guarded the narrow entrance to the inner courtyard and the ruins of the tower are still the best preserved part of the castle. In front of the main castle lies a further castle mound of about 50x50 m which is referred to as “Ridebanen” (“The Riding Ground”).In the summer of 2006, the National Museum carried out an excavation on Kalø in order to discover whether there was settlement on the island outside the main castle itself (fig. 4). Whereas the great castle ruin was exposed and investigated by the architect C.M. Smidt during the first half of the 20th century, the rest of the island has remained more-or-less untouched. We know that a four-winged farm, enclosing a farmyard, was constructed here, but very little is known about this and its connection with the two water-filled ditches in front of it. In order to find out more, an archaeological investigation was necessary. Accordingly, a transverse trial trench was dug between the farm and one of the d

The King’s castle on Kalø – New investigationsKalø castle ruin, with its beautiful location on an island south of the great Djursland peninsula on the east coast of Jutland, is one of the most visited ancient monuments in Denmark (fig. 1). There are still considerable remains of the castle, with its surrounding banks and ditches, and the whole island was once part of the monument. The cobbled causeway, which leads out from the mainland to the island, was probably constructed at the same time as the castle.Kalø’s history extends over about 350 years, from the construction of the castle in AD 1313-14 in connection with King Erik Menved’s suppression of violent revolts in Northern Jutland, until its abandonment in AD 1660, by which time the castle had completely lost its significance.The main castle occupied an area of 80x70 m, enclosed within a ring wall. It was divided up into a quadratic courtyard, with buildings constructed up against the ring wall, preceded by a rectangular forecourt (fig. 3). A mighty tower or keep guarded the narrow entrance to the inner courtyard and the ruins of the tower are still the best preserved part of the castle. In front of the main castle lies a further castle mound of about 50x50 m which is referred to as “Ridebanen” (“The Riding Ground”).In the summer of 2006, the National Museum carried out an excavation on Kalø in order to discover whether there was settlement on the island outside the main castle itself (fig. 4). Whereas the great castle ruin was exposed and investigated by the architect C.M. Smidt during the first half of the 20th century, the rest of the island has remained more-or-less untouched. We know that a four-winged farm, enclosing a farmyard, was constructed here, but very little is known about this and its connection with the two water-filled ditches in front of it. In order to find out more, an archaeological investigation was necessary. Accordingly, a transverse trial trench was dug between the farm and one of the d

The King’s castle on Kalø – New investigationsKalø castle ruin, with its beautiful location on an island south of the great Djursland peninsula on the east coast of Jutland, is one of the most visited ancient monuments in Denmark (fig. 1). There are still considerable remains of the castle, with its surrounding banks and ditches, and the whole island was once part of the monument. The cobbled causeway, which leads out from the mainland to the island, was probably constructed at the same time as the castle.Kalø’s history extends over about 350 years, from the construction of the castle in AD 1313-14 in connection with King Erik Menved’s suppression of violent revolts in Northern Jutland, until its abandonment in AD 1660, by which time the castle had completely lost its significance.The main castle occupied an area of 80x70 m, enclosed within a ring wall. It was divided up into a quadratic courtyard, with buildings constructed up against the ring wall, preceded by a rectangular forecourt (fig. 3). A mighty tower or keep guarded the narrow entrance to the inner courtyard and the ruins of the tower are still the best preserved part of the castle. In front of the main castle lies a further castle mound of about 50x50 m which is referred to as “Ridebanen” (“The Riding Ground”).In the summer of 2006, the National Museum carried out an excavation on Kalø in order to discover whether there was settlement on the island outside the main castle itself (fig. 4). Whereas the great castle ruin was exposed and investigated by the architect C.M. Smidt during the first half of the 20th century, the rest of the island has remained more-or-less untouched. We know that a four-winged farm, enclosing a farmyard, was constructed here, but very little is known about this and its connection with the two water-filled ditches in front of it. In order to find out more, an archaeological investigation was necessary. Accordingly, a transverse trial trench was dug between the farm and one of the d

The King’s castle on Kalø – New investigationsKalø castle ruin, with its beautiful location on an island south of the great Djursland peninsula on the east coast of Jutland, is one of the most visited ancient monuments in Denmark (fig. 1). There are still considerable remains of the castle, with its surrounding banks and ditches, and the whole island was once part of the monument. The cobbled causeway, which leads out from the mainland to the island, was probably constructed at the same time as the castle.Kalø’s history extends over about 350 years, from the construction of the castle in AD 1313-14 in connection with King Erik Menved’s suppression of violent revolts in Northern Jutland, until its abandonment in AD 1660, by which time the castle had completely lost its significance.The main castle occupied an area of 80x70 m, enclosed within a ring wall. It was divided up into a quadratic courtyard, with buildings constructed up against the ring wall, preceded by a rectangular forecourt (fig. 3). A mighty tower or keep guarded the narrow entrance to the inner courtyard and the ruins of the tower are still the best preserved part of the castle. In front of the main castle lies a further castle mound of about 50x50 m which is referred to as “Ridebanen” (“The Riding Ground”).In the summer of 2006, the National Museum carried out an excavation on Kalø in order to discover whether there was settlement on the island outside the main castle itself (fig. 4). Whereas the great castle ruin was exposed and investigated by the architect C.M. Smidt during the first half of the 20th century, the rest of the island has remained more-or-less untouched. We know that a four-winged farm, enclosing a farmyard, was constructed here, but very little is known about this and its connection with the two water-filled ditches in front of it. In order to find out more, an archaeological investigation was necessary. Accordingly, a transverse trial trench was dug between the farm and one of the d

The King’s castle on Kalø – New investigationsKalø castle ruin, with its beautiful location on an island south of the great Djursland peninsula on the east coast of Jutland, is one of the most visited ancient monuments in Denmark (fig. 1). There are still considerable remains of the castle, with its surrounding banks and ditches, and the whole island was once part of the monument. The cobbled causeway, which leads out from the mainland to the island, was probably constructed at the same time as the castle.Kalø’s history extends over about 350 years, from the construction of the castle in AD 1313-14 in connection with King Erik Menved’s suppression of violent revolts in Northern Jutland, until its abandonment in AD 1660, by which time the castle had completely lost its significance.The main castle occupied an area of 80x70 m, enclosed within a ring wall. It was divided up into a quadratic courtyard, with buildings constructed up against the ring wall, preceded by a rectangular forecourt (fig. 3). A mighty tower or keep guarded the narrow entrance to the inner courtyard and the ruins of the tower are still the best preserved part of the castle. In front of the main castle lies a further castle mound of about 50x50 m which is referred to as “Ridebanen” (“The Riding Ground”).In the summer of 2006, the National Museum carried out an excavation on Kalø in order to discover whether there was settlement on the island outside the main castle itself (fig. 4). Whereas the great castle ruin was exposed and investigated by the architect C.M. Smidt during the first half of the 20th century, the rest of the island has remained more-or-less untouched. We know that a four-winged farm, enclosing a farmyard, was constructed here, but very little is known about this and its connection with the two water-filled ditches in front of it. In order to find out more, an archaeological investigation was necessary. Accordingly, a transverse trial trench was dug between the farm and one of the d