EAA2022: Abstract
Abstract is part of session #371:
Title & Content
Title:
Bioarchaeological study of medieval populations between the Dnieper and Dniester Valleys
Content:
Genetic data is very scarce on the medieval people of the Dnieper and Dniester Valley. We examine more than 50 human DNA samples from different medieval cemeteries, which can be dated to the 8-10th century AD and linked to different ethnic groups (like Slavs, Pechenegs, Hungarians) based on historical and archaeological findings.
This region was the last settlement area (so-called Etelköz) for Hungarian conquerors before arriving in the Carpathian Basin. The archaeological material of some studied cemeteries – dated to the 9th century AD by 14C measurements – shows connections with cultures of the Volga-Ural region and the Carpathian Basin as well.
Our uniparental and genomic analyses also show that several distinct groups lived in the studied area. Moreover, Slavic groups on the left and right bank of the Dnieper have a different genetic composition. Keeping in mind the archaeological data, we examine genetic relations of the studied groups in comparison with other Eurasians at both individual and population levels. In addition to identification of the “Hungarian component” in the region, we compare our results with the data of medieval groups from the Carpathian Basin and Volga-Ural regions. These areas can be related to each other through the early Hungarians, whose migration is not just documented by fresh archaeological data but has been also confirmed by the genetic examinations of the recent years.
Our goals are to gain genetic insight into the composition of the Dnieper and Dniester Valleys’ ethnic groups and to learn about unique stories of the individuals who composed the populations. Our results can not only shed light on the sources of migration events, but also show the impact of the newcomers on the population of the studied area.
This research was supported by: Eötvös Loránd Research Network; Thematic Excellence Program (TKP2020-NKA-11); Árpád dynasty program (IV.2).
This region was the last settlement area (so-called Etelköz) for Hungarian conquerors before arriving in the Carpathian Basin. The archaeological material of some studied cemeteries – dated to the 9th century AD by 14C measurements – shows connections with cultures of the Volga-Ural region and the Carpathian Basin as well.
Our uniparental and genomic analyses also show that several distinct groups lived in the studied area. Moreover, Slavic groups on the left and right bank of the Dnieper have a different genetic composition. Keeping in mind the archaeological data, we examine genetic relations of the studied groups in comparison with other Eurasians at both individual and population levels. In addition to identification of the “Hungarian component” in the region, we compare our results with the data of medieval groups from the Carpathian Basin and Volga-Ural regions. These areas can be related to each other through the early Hungarians, whose migration is not just documented by fresh archaeological data but has been also confirmed by the genetic examinations of the recent years.
Our goals are to gain genetic insight into the composition of the Dnieper and Dniester Valleys’ ethnic groups and to learn about unique stories of the individuals who composed the populations. Our results can not only shed light on the sources of migration events, but also show the impact of the newcomers on the population of the studied area.
This research was supported by: Eötvös Loránd Research Network; Thematic Excellence Program (TKP2020-NKA-11); Árpád dynasty program (IV.2).
Keywords:
medieval, migration, Dnieper, Dniester, Hungarians, Slavs
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authors
Main authors:
Bea Szeifert1,2
Co-author:
Balázs Gyuris1,2
Dániel Gerber1,2
Nikolaj Telnov3
Vitalij Sinika4
Maksym Kvitnytskyi4
Oleksii Komar5
Attila Türk6,7
Balázs Gusztáv Mende1
Anna Szécsényi-Nagy1
Dániel Gerber1,2
Nikolaj Telnov3
Vitalij Sinika4
Maksym Kvitnytskyi4
Oleksii Komar5
Attila Türk6,7
Balázs Gusztáv Mende1
Anna Szécsényi-Nagy1
Affiliations:
1 Institute of Archaeogenomics, Research Centre for the Humanities, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Budapest, Hungary
2 Doctoral School of Biology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
3 Institute of Cultural Heritage, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Kishinev, Moldova
4 Pridnestrovian State University named after T. G. Shevchenko, Tiraspol, Moldova
5 Institute of Archaeology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
6 Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
7 Hungarian Prehistory Researchgroup, Research Centre for the Humanities, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Budapest, Hungary
2 Doctoral School of Biology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
3 Institute of Cultural Heritage, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Kishinev, Moldova
4 Pridnestrovian State University named after T. G. Shevchenko, Tiraspol, Moldova
5 Institute of Archaeology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
6 Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
7 Hungarian Prehistory Researchgroup, Research Centre for the Humanities, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Budapest, Hungary