Shifts in the Genetic Landscape of the Western Eurasian Steppe Associated with the Beginning and End of the Scythian Dominance
Järve M, Saag L, Scheib CL et al.
Publication Details
Comprehensive information about this research publication
Abstract
Summary of the research findings
The Early Iron Age nomadic Scythians have been described as a confederation of tribes of different origins, based on ancient DNA evidence [1-3]. It is still unclear how much of the Scythian dominance in the Eurasian Steppe was due to movements of people and how much reflected cultural diffusion and elite dominance. We present new whole-genome sequences of 31 ancient Western and Eastern Steppe individuals, including Scythians as well as samples pre- and postdating them, allowing us to set the Scythians in a temporal context (in the Western, i.e., Ponto-Caspian Steppe). We detect an increase of eastern (Altaian) affinity along with a decrease in eastern hunter-gatherer (EHG) ancestry in the Early Iron Age Ponto-Caspian gene pool at the start of the Scythian dominance. On the other hand, samples of the Chernyakhiv culture postdating the Scythians in Ukraine have a significantly higher proportion of Near Eastern ancestry than other samples of this study. Our results agree with the Gothic source of the Chernyakhiv culture and support the hypothesis that the Scythian dominance did involve a demic component.
Ancient DNA Samples
63 ancient DNA samples referenced in this publication
| Sample ID | Date/Era | Country | Locality | Sex | mtDNA | Y-DNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I3867 | 750 BCE | Kazakhstan | Almaty. Talgar. Birlik | F | F2 |
|
| MJ-51 | 775 BCE | Kazakhstan | Taldy-2. Mound 4 | M | U5a1f1 |
R-YP1548 |
| MJ-52 | 795 BCE | Kazakhstan | Aksu-Ayuly-4. Mound 3 | M | A23 |
J-ZS6592 |
| MJ-53 | 393 BCE | Kazakhstan | Nurken-2. Mound 6 | M | U5b2b |
R-L23 |
| I3867 | 750 BCE | Kazakhstan | Almaty. Talgar. Birlik | F | F2 |
|
| MJ-51 | 775 BCE | Kazakhstan | Taldy-2. Mound 4 | M | U5a1f1 |
R-YP1548 |
| MJ-52 | 795 BCE | Kazakhstan | Aksu-Ayuly-4. Mound 3 | M | A23 |
J-ZS6592 |
| MJ-53 | 393 BCE | Kazakhstan | Nurken-2. Mound 6 | M | U5b2b |
R-L23 |
| MJ-56 | 727 BCE | Russia | Perevolochan-2. Mound 4. burial 3 | F | U5b2c |
|
| MJ-38 | 162 BCE | Russia | Zolka. Mound 4. burial 30 | M | W |
Q-L332 |
| MJ-39 | 387 BCE | Russia | Ivanovka-1. Mound 5. burial 3 | M | T1a1 |
R-PF6162 |
| MJ-40 | 396 BCE | Russia | Manhar-2. Burial 1 | M | U5a2-a |
E-PF6747 |
| MJ-41 | 749 BCE | Russia | Avlasovo. Mound 3. burial 2 | F | U5b2a1a2 |
|
| MJ-42 | 793 BCE | Russia | Nikolaevka II. Mound 1. burial 2 | M | T1a1d |
R-PF6162 |
| MJ-43 | 413 BCE | Russia | Sibai-1. Mound 1. burial 1. skeleton 2 | F | C1e |
|
| MJ-44 | 367 BCE | Russia | Chumarovo-1. Mound 10. burial 10 | F | U5b2a1a1 |
|
| LS-13 | 481 BCE | Russia | Novo-Muraptalovo-7. Mound 1. burial 2 | M | W3a |
R-FT129490 |
| MJ-41 | 749 BCE | Russia | Avlasovo. Mound 3. burial 2 | F | U5b2a1a2 |
|
| MJ-39 | 387 BCE | Russia | Ivanovka-1. Mound 5. burial 3 | M | T1a1 |
R-PF6162 |
| LS-13 | 481 BCE | Russia | Novo-Muraptalovo-7. Mound 1. burial 2 | M | W3a |
R-FT129490 |
| MJ-56 | 727 BCE | Russia | Perevolochan-2. Mound 4. burial 3 | F | U5b2c |
|
| MJ-43 | 413 BCE | Russia | Sibai-1. Mound 1. burial 1. skeleton 2 | F | C1e |
|
| MJ-40 | 396 BCE | Russia | Manhar-2. Burial 1 | M | U5a2-a |
E-PF6747 |
| MJ-42 | 793 BCE | Russia | Nikolaevka II. Mound 1. burial 2 | M | T1a1d |
R-PF6162 |
| MJ-44 | 367 BCE | Russia | Chumarovo-1. Mound 10. burial 10 | F | U5b2a1a1 |
|
| MJ-38 | 162 BCE | Russia | Zolka. Mound 4. burial 30 | M | W |
Q-L332 |
| MJ-46 | 366 BCE | Ukraine | Mamai-Gora. The eastern sector of the burial. Object 165. burial 1 | F | J1d6 |
|
| MJ-47 | 725 BCE | Ukraine | Mamai-Gora. The eastern sector of the burial. Object 175. burial 1 | F | T2 |
|
| MJ-15 | 393 BCE | Ukraine | Bidylo I. Mound 2. burial 1 | M | U2e2 |
R-Z2124 |
| MJ-06 | 2865 BCE | Ukraine | Kumy. Mound 6. burial 8 | F | H2a1 |
|
| MJ-08 | 775 BCE | Ukraine | Kumy. Mound 1. burial 2 | F | T2a1b1a |
|
| MJ-09 | 2461 BCE | Ukraine | Mamai-Gora. The central sector of the burial. Mound 162. burial 15. skeleton 2 | F | H13a2c |
|
| MJ-12 | 990 BCE | Ukraine | Cartal III. NW part of the burial ground. plot I. grave 101 | F | H35 |
|
| MJ-13 | 750 BCE | Ukraine | Kup'evaha. Mound 25. burial 1. skeleton 3 | F | H11b1 |
|
| MJ-14 | 778 BCE | Ukraine | Medwin. Group I. mound 22/1 | M | H6a1b |
R-M198 |
| MJ-15 | 393 BCE | Ukraine | St Merchik. Group II. mound 1. burial 1 | M | U2e2 |
R-Z2124 |
| MJ-16 | 755 BCE | Ukraine | Medwin. Group I. mound 6/1 | M | T2b |
J-Z7700 |
| MJ-19 | 261 CE | Ukraine | Legedzine. Grave 20 | F | H1n6 |
|
| MJ-31 | 1284 BCE | Ukraine | Dykyi Sad hillfort. "Citadel". Room №7 in the "Citadel | M | U5a1b1 |
R-PF6162 |
| MJ-33 | 758 BCE | Ukraine | Medwin. Group I. mound 18/1 | M | U5a2a2a |
R-PF6162 |
| MJ-34 | 386 BCE | Ukraine | Kolomak hillfort. №1842. pit 68. excavation IV | M | W3a1 |
R-Z2124 |
| MJ-35 | 751 BCE | Ukraine | Kup'evaha. Mound 25. burial 1. skeleton 1 | M | X4 |
Q-L332 |
| MJ-36 | 247 CE | Ukraine | Komariv-1. Grave 3 | F | H1c |
|
| MJ-37 | 248 CE | Ukraine | Shyshaky. Grave 112 in the central part of the burial ground | F | T2g1 |
|
| MJ-09 | 2461 BCE | Ukraine | Mamai-Gora. The central sector of the burial. Mound 162. burial 15. skeleton 2 | F | H13a2c |
|
| MJ-36 | 247 CE | Ukraine | Komariv-1. Grave 3 | F | H1c |
|
| MJ-19 | 261 CE | Ukraine | Legedzine. Grave 20 | F | H1n6 |
|
| MJ-37 | 248 CE | Ukraine | Shyshaky. Grave 112 in the central part of the burial ground | F | T2g1 |
|
| MJ-12 | 990 BCE | Ukraine | Cartal III. NW part of the burial ground. plot I. grave 101 | F | H35 |
|
| MJ-31 | 1284 BCE | Ukraine | Dykyi Sad hillfort. "Citadel". Room №7 in the "Citadel | M | U5a1b1 |
R-PF6162 |
| MJ-06 | 2865 BCE | Ukraine | Kumy. Mound 6. burial 8 | F | H2a1 |
|
| MJ-34 | 386 BCE | Ukraine | Kolomak hillfort. №1842. pit 68. excavation IV | M | W3a1 |
R-Z2124 |
| MJ-35 | 751 BCE | Ukraine | Kup'evaha. Mound 25. burial 1. skeleton 1 | M | X4 |
Q-L332 |
| MJ-13 | 750 BCE | Ukraine | Kup'evaha. Mound 25. burial 1. skeleton 3 | F | H11b1 |
|
| MJ-46 | 366 BCE | Ukraine | Mamai-Gora. The eastern sector of the burial. Object 165. burial 1 | F | J1d6 |
|
| MJ-47 | 725 BCE | Ukraine | Mamai-Gora. The eastern sector of the burial. Object 175. burial 1 | F | T2 |
|
| MJ-33 | 758 BCE | Ukraine | Medwin. Group I. mound 18/1 | M | U5a2a2a |
R-PF6162 |
| MJ-14 | 778 BCE | Ukraine | Medwin. Group I. mound 22/1 | M | H6a1b |
R-M198 |
| MJ-16 | 755 BCE | Ukraine | Medwin. Group I. mound 6/1 | M | T2b |
J-Z7700 |
| MJ-15 | 393 BCE | Ukraine | Bidylo I. Mound 2. burial 1 | M | U2e2 |
R-Z2124 |
| MJ-08 | 775 BCE | Ukraine | Kumy. Mound 1. burial 2 | F | T2a1b1a |
|
| MJ-15-32_merge | 393 BCE | Ukraine | Staryi-Merchik-2 (Kharkiv Oblast, Bohodukhiv District, Valkiv municipality) | M | |
R-M417 |
| MJ-15 | 393 BCE | Ukraine | St Merchik. Group II. mound 1. burial 1 | M | U2e2 |
R-Z2124 |
Analysis
Comprehensive review of ancestry and genetic findings
Important Disclaimer: This review has been performed semi-automatically and is provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, this analysis may contain errors, omissions, or misinterpretations of the original research. DNA Genics disclaims all liability for any inaccuracies, errors, or consequences arising from the use of this information. Users should independently verify all information and consult original research publications before making any decisions based on this content. This analysis is not intended as a substitute for professional scientific review or medical advice.