Ancient genomes reveal origin and rapid trans-Eurasian migration of 7th century Avar elites
Gnecchi-Ruscone GA, Szécsényi-Nagy A, Koncz I et al.
Publication Details
Comprehensive information about this research publication
Abstract
Summary of the research findings
The Avars settled the Carpathian Basin in 567/68 CE, establishing an empire lasting over 200 years. Who they were and where they came from is highly debated. Contemporaries have disagreed about whether they were, as they claimed, the direct successors of the Mongolian Steppe Rouran empire that was destroyed by the Turks in ∼550 CE. Here, we analyze new genome-wide data from 66 pre-Avar and Avar-period Carpathian Basin individuals, including the 8 richest Avar-period burials and further elite sites from Avar's empire core region. Our results provide support for a rapid long-distance trans-Eurasian migration of Avar-period elites. These individuals carried Northeast Asian ancestry matching the profile of preceding Mongolian Steppe populations, particularly a genome available from the Rouran period. Some of the later elite individuals carried an additional non-local ancestry component broadly matching the steppe, which could point to a later migration or reflect greater genetic diversity within the initial migrant population.
Ancient DNA Samples
66 ancient DNA samples referenced in this publication
| Sample ID | Date/Era | Country | Locality | Sex | mtDNA | Y-DNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1824 | 600 CE | Hungary | South Transdanubia. Kölked -Feketekapu | M | K1a17a |
R1a1a1b1a2a |
| A1825 | 600 CE | Hungary | South Transdanubia. Kölked -Feketekapu | F | |
|
| I18743 | 625 CE | Hungary | Albertirsa site 22 | F | G2a2 |
|
| A1801 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Budapest-Csepel-Kavicsbánya | M | C4b6 |
N1a1a1a1a3a2 |
| A1823 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Sallai út | M | Y1a1 |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| A1802 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunbábony | M | D4j5a |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| A1820 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunpeszér - Felsőpeszéri út | M | |
N1a1a1a1a |
| A1821 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunpeszér - Felsőpeszéri út | M | F1b1b |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| A1822 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunpeszér - Felsőpeszéri út | M | M7c1b2b |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| A1816 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunpeszér - Felsőpeszéri út | F | U5a1+@16192 |
|
| A1817 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunpeszér - Felsőpeszéri út | M | H8a1 |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| A1818 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunpeszér - Felsőpeszéri út | F | R2+13500 |
|
| A1819 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Petőfiszállás | M | Z1a1 |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| A1808 | 600 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Szalkszentmárton - Táborállás | M | |
N1a1a1a1a |
| I18184 | 550 CE | Hungary | Tiszapüspöki- Holt Tisza part 17/a | M | HV1b3b |
|
| I18174 | 550 CE | Hungary | Tiszapüspöki- Holt Tisza part 17/a | M | U5a2a1 |
|
| I18185 | 550 CE | Hungary | Tiszapüspöki- Holt Tisza part 17/c | F | K1a2 |
|
| I16812 | 600 CE | Hungary | Derecske. Bikás-dűlő | M | A+152+16362 |
|
| I20800 | 600 CE | Hungary | Derecske-Karakas dűlő | M | C4d |
|
| I20801 | 600 CE | Hungary | Derecske-Karakas dűlő | F | Z3 |
|
| I16744 | 600 CE | Hungary | Hajdúböszörmény Homokbánya IV | F | I4a |
|
| A1803 | 630 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Békésszentandrás -Benda-tanya. site 76. | F | |
|
| A1804 | 630 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Szarvas -Kovács-halom site 8/1 | M | D5b1 |
Q1a2a1a4a~ |
| A1805 | 630 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Szarvas -Kovács-halom site 8/1 | F | H5a2 |
|
| A1806 | 630 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Szarvas -Kovács-halom site 8/1 | F | D4i2 |
|
| A1807 | 630 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Szarvas -Kovács-halom site 8/1 | M | C4a1a4a |
Q1b1a3b |
| I16750 | 600 CE | Hungary | Kövegy- Nagyfoldek | M | H35 |
|
| A181021 | 350 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Hajdúnánás-Fürj-halom-dűlő 2. site. M3/40A | F | T2b |
|
| A181022 | 350 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Hajdúnánás-Fürj-halom-dűlő 2. site. M3/40A | F | H59 |
|
| A181023 | 350 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Hajdúnánás-Fürj-halom-dűlő 2. site. M3/40A | M | I1a1a |
R1b1a1b1a1a2b |
| A181024 | 350 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Hajdúnánás-Fürj-halom-dűlő 2. site. M3/40A | F | J1c3 |
|
| A181025 | 350 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Hajdúnánás-Fürj-halom-dűlő 2. site. M3/40A | M | T2b |
G2a1a1a1a1a1 |
| A181026 | 350 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Hajdúnánás-Fürj-halom-dűlő 2. site. M3/40A | F | HV0 |
|
| A181027 | 350 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Hajdúnánás-Fürj-halom-dűlő 2. site. M3/40A | F | H1m |
|
| A181028 | 350 CE | Hungary | Transtisza region. Hajdúnánás-Fürj-halom-dűlő 2. site. M3/40A | M | T1a1b |
R1a1a1b2a2a1 |
| I18222 | 700 CE | Hungary | Albertirsa-Szentmártoni ut | M | H8c |
|
| I18225 | 700 CE | Hungary | Albertirsa-Szentmártoni ut | F | D4l2 |
|
| A1809 | 750 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunszállás-Fülöpjakab | F | T1a1+@152 |
|
| A1810 | 700 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunszállás-Fülöpjakab | F | U5b1b |
|
| A1813 | 600 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunszállás-Fülöpjakab | M | C4a1a4 |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| A1814 | 750 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunszállás-Fülöpjakab | M | T1a1+@152 |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| A1815 | 700 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunszállás-Fülöpjakab | M | C4a1a4 |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| I16759 | 700 CE | Hungary | Alsónyek-Elkerülö ut. site 2 | M | U2e1h |
|
| I16752 | 700 CE | Hungary | Visonta Nagycsapás | M | H5a3a |
|
| I16753 | 700 CE | Hungary | Visonta Nagycsapás | M | J1c3 |
|
| I16751 | 700 CE | Hungary | Visonta Nagycsapás | F | T2a1a1 |
|
| I16741 | 750 CE | Hungary | Berettyóújfalu Nagybócs dűlő | M | HV4a1+16291 |
|
| I16743 | 780 CE | Hungary | Debrecen Bordás Tanya | F | K |
|
| I20798 | 700 CE | Hungary | Derecske-Hosszú lapos | F | J2b1a |
|
| I20799 | 700 CE | Hungary | Derecske-Hosszú lapos | M | U5a2e |
|
| A181013 | 400 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Mindszenti-dűlő | F | H5 |
|
| A181014 | 400 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Mindszenti-dűlő | M | K1a4a1 |
I2a1b1a2b1~ |
| A181015 | 400 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Mindszenti-dűlő | M | U2e1h |
I1a2a1a1a1b |
| A181016 | 400 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Mindszenti-dűlő | M | H1cf |
I1a2a1a1a |
| A181017 | 400 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Mindszenti-dűlő | M | H7 |
I1a |
| A181018 | 400 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Mindszenti-dűlő | F | H+16291 |
|
| A181019 | 400 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Mindszenti-dűlő | M | K1a4a1 |
I2a1b1a2b1a~ |
| A181020 | 400 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kecskemét-Mindszenti-dűlő | F | C5c+16234 |
|
| I18742 | 650 CE | Hungary | Albertirsa site 22 | F | HV2a3 |
|
| A1812 | 630 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunszállás-Fülöpjakab | M | F1b1f |
N1a1a1a1a3a |
| I18744 | 650 CE | Hungary | Albertirsa Szentmártoni út | M | C4a2c |
|
| I18223 | 650 CE | Hungary | Albertirsa-Szentmártoni ut | F | C4a1a4 |
|
| I18224 | 650 CE | Hungary | Albertirsa-Szentmártoni ut | M | H1b1 |
|
| A1811 | 700 CE | Hungary | Danube-Tisza Interfluve. Kunszállás-Fülöpjakab | F | F1b1f |
|
| I20802 | 200 CE | Hungary | Derecske-Karakas dűlő | M | H41a |
|
| A181029 | 400 CE | Hungary | North Transdanubia. Árpás-Dombiföld- Szérüskert | M | H5 |
R1a1a1b2a2b2~ |
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.