Bonds stronger than kinship? An extraordinary discovery at the cemetery near Opole Cathedral, with the involvement of Agata Cieślik, PhD

The Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports has published the results of research into an unusual medieval double grave, discovered during archaeological work in 2022 at the cemetery near Opole Cathedral. The lead author of the publication is Agata Cieślik, PhD, from the Department of Anthropology at the IIET PAS in Wrocław. aDNA analyses confirmed that the grave contained the remains of two women who were not biologically related, marking the first such case in Polish medieval archaeology. In the article, the authors highlight the crucial role of biomolecular research in verifying traditional archaeological hypotheses. The publication also opens a new discussion on the significance of social kinship and strong non-biological bonds in the ancient community of Opole.

The article is available at (open access to the article until 24 June 2026):

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352409X26002270?dgcid=author