The Silent Demise of Europe's Megalith Builders The discovery of a genetic break between two groups buried in a French megalithic tomb has shed new light on one of the greatest mysteries of European prehistory: the collapse of societies that built iconic stone monuments.
What was previously thought to be a gradual decline, possibly due to environmental factors or disease, now appears to be a catastrophic event marked by mass migration and social upheaval.
A study conducted at the University of Copenhagen analyzed 132 skeletons from the megalithic tomb. The research revealed two distinct populations separated by a 3,000 year old demographic chasm.