Tautalus
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- Y-DNA haplogroup
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- mtDNA haplogroup
- H6a1b2y
This paper shows how a post-Roman kingdom emerged through a combination of migration, local continuity, intermarriage, elite lineage formation, and increasingly sophisticated political organization, rather than through simple conquest or ethnic replacement.
Editor’s summary
The dissolution of the western Roman Empire resulted in substantial population and political shifts across Europe. To better understand the role of migration in this period, Tian et al. sequenced genomes from 314 individuals from seven sites in the Little Hungarian Plain, a region at the border between the eastern and western halves of the empire through which the river Danube and major trade routes flowed. Genetic data and isotopes indicate an influx of northern European populations into the region over the 3rd to 6th centuries CE, but cultural signifiers such as grave goods remained consistent. Grave kinship and nutrition indicate that social structure changed independently across these settlements, suggesting idiosyncratic shifts in response to demographic change rather than complete replacement.
Structured Abstract
INTRODUCTION
With the decline of the Western Roman Empire, the fourth to sixth centuries common era (CE) were a period of profound demographic, cultural, and political change on the European continent. Although these changes have traditionally been attributed to the migration of “barbarians,” modern scholars have tended to emphasize the role of internal social dynamics. However, the lack of contemporaneous written records has limited what we can say about post-Roman communities. The combined analysis of ancient DNA, isotopes, and the archaeological record from these ancient communities provides another dimension to help us understand the period.
RATIONALE
The Little Hungarian Plain was part of the Pannonian provinces of the Roman Empire and was an important frontier zone, and its rich archaeological record provides an ideal case study for using ancient DNA to better understand these transformations. Therefore, we sequenced 314 ancient genomes dated between the third and sixth centuries CE from seven (two late Roman and five post-Roman) cemeteries. We then integrated these data with isotopic and archaeological evidence to provide a high-resolution picture of migration and community development in the region.
RESULTS
We found that the genetic profile of the populations changed substantially in the post-Roman period, with a major influx of Northern European genetic ancestry. This likely reflects the historically documented expansion of the Langobards into the region, although this immigrant population appears to have mixed with the existing local late Roman inhabitants rather than replacing them. In addition, although individual post-Roman cemeteries had highly similar genomic profiles, they demonstrated a variety of patterns of within- and between-cemetery biological relatedness.
CONCLUSION
Rather than representing simple, independent rural communities, our data revealed a complex, stratified society. By combining genetic and archaeological data at an unprecedented spatial and temporal scale, we were able to identify distinct social hierarchies in which core kin groups likely maintained political and social power. This suggests that the formation of the post-Roman Langobard polity was driven by the establishment of these hierarchical networks, connecting communities on cultural, political, and biological levels.
Behind a paywall
Y-Dna haplogroups
Editor’s summary
The dissolution of the western Roman Empire resulted in substantial population and political shifts across Europe. To better understand the role of migration in this period, Tian et al. sequenced genomes from 314 individuals from seven sites in the Little Hungarian Plain, a region at the border between the eastern and western halves of the empire through which the river Danube and major trade routes flowed. Genetic data and isotopes indicate an influx of northern European populations into the region over the 3rd to 6th centuries CE, but cultural signifiers such as grave goods remained consistent. Grave kinship and nutrition indicate that social structure changed independently across these settlements, suggesting idiosyncratic shifts in response to demographic change rather than complete replacement.
Structured Abstract
INTRODUCTION
With the decline of the Western Roman Empire, the fourth to sixth centuries common era (CE) were a period of profound demographic, cultural, and political change on the European continent. Although these changes have traditionally been attributed to the migration of “barbarians,” modern scholars have tended to emphasize the role of internal social dynamics. However, the lack of contemporaneous written records has limited what we can say about post-Roman communities. The combined analysis of ancient DNA, isotopes, and the archaeological record from these ancient communities provides another dimension to help us understand the period.
RATIONALE
The Little Hungarian Plain was part of the Pannonian provinces of the Roman Empire and was an important frontier zone, and its rich archaeological record provides an ideal case study for using ancient DNA to better understand these transformations. Therefore, we sequenced 314 ancient genomes dated between the third and sixth centuries CE from seven (two late Roman and five post-Roman) cemeteries. We then integrated these data with isotopic and archaeological evidence to provide a high-resolution picture of migration and community development in the region.
RESULTS
We found that the genetic profile of the populations changed substantially in the post-Roman period, with a major influx of Northern European genetic ancestry. This likely reflects the historically documented expansion of the Langobards into the region, although this immigrant population appears to have mixed with the existing local late Roman inhabitants rather than replacing them. In addition, although individual post-Roman cemeteries had highly similar genomic profiles, they demonstrated a variety of patterns of within- and between-cemetery biological relatedness.
CONCLUSION
Rather than representing simple, independent rural communities, our data revealed a complex, stratified society. By combining genetic and archaeological data at an unprecedented spatial and temporal scale, we were able to identify distinct social hierarchies in which core kin groups likely maintained political and social power. This suggests that the formation of the post-Roman Langobard polity was driven by the establishment of these hierarchical networks, connecting communities on cultural, political, and biological levels.
Behind a paywall
The preprint is from August 2025
Y-Dna haplogroups
| Individual ID | Site | Ymarker | Ymarker_equivalent | Haplogroup (main branch) | Terminal downstream sub-haplogroup |
| GYS008 | Győr - Széchenyi square | L542 | V13 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a |
| Gy-Szt_10 | Győr - Széchenyi square | L542 | V13 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a |
| Gy-Szt_50 | Győr - Széchenyi square | L542 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a | |
| Menfocsanak_285 | Ménfőcsanak | L542 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a | |
| Szeleste_524 | Szeleste | L542 | V13 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a |
| Szeleste_548 | Szeleste | L542 | L618 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a |
| Szeleste_566 | Szeleste | L542 | V13 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a |
| Szeleste_577 | Szeleste | L542 | L618 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a |
| Menfocsanak_296 | Ménfőcsanak | L788 | Z1146 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1b2a1a1 |
| Hegyko_08 | Hegykő - Mező street | M35.2 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a3 | |
| Hegyko_49 | Hegykő - Mező street | M35.2 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a3 | |
| Szeleste_530 | Szeleste | M5251 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b | |
| Szeleste_598-2 | Szeleste | M75 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a | |
| Szeleste_963 | Szeleste | M75 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1b1a1b1a | |
| GYS039 | Győr - Széchenyi square | PN2 | PF1825 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1 |
| Gy-Szt_36-A | Győr - Széchenyi square | PN2 | PF1942 | E-M35/M78 | E1b1 |
| Menfocsanak_297 | Ménfőcsanak | P135 | F-M89 | F | |
| Gy-Szt_06 | Győr - Széchenyi square | P141 | F-M89 | F | |
| Szeleste_962 | Szeleste | P158 | F-M89 | F | |
| Szeleste_456 | Szeleste | P163 | PF2632 | F-M89 | F |
| GYS023 | Győr - Széchenyi square | P166 | F-M89 | F | |
| Gy-Szt_04 | Győr - Széchenyi square | CTS4803 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b2a1a1b1a1a2a | |
| Hegyko_74 | Hegykő - Mező street | F1175 | Z35443 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b2b |
| Hegyko_10 | Hegykő - Mező street | FGC12135 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b2a1a1c2 | |
| Menfocsanak_401 | Ménfőcsanak | M485 | S126 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b |
| Menfocsanak_123 | Ménfőcsanak | PF3175 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2a | |
| Hegyko_05 | Hegykő - Mező street | PF6863 | CTS7155, Z3380, Z3410 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b2a1a1c1a1 |
| Hegyko_78 | Hegykő - Mező street | PF6863 | CTS7155, Z3380, Z3410 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b2a1a1c1a1 |
| Gy-Szt_51 | Győr - Széchenyi square | S149 | L149.2 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a |
| Hegyko_24 | Hegykő - Mező street | U1 | Z2005, Z2024 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b2a1a1a1 |
| Gy-Szt_58 | Győr - Széchenyi square | U8 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b | |
| Szeleste_552 | Szeleste | U8 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b | |
| Hegyko_16 | Hegykő - Mező street | Z3038 | Z3312, CTS342 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b2a1a1c1a1 |
| Gyirmot_30 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | Z3283 | Z738, Z751 | G2a-P287/S149 | G2a2b2a1b1a |
| Gy-Szt_37-A | Győr - Széchenyi square | M3546 | G2-M201/P287 | G2 | |
| Kony_458 | Kóny - Markotai street | L118 | I1-M253 | I1 | |
| Szeleste_486 | Szeleste | L187 | M253 | I1-M253 | I1 |
| Szeleste_473 | Szeleste | L64 | S109 | I1-M253 | I1 |
| Szeleste_397 | Szeleste | L75 | L81 | I1-M253 | I1 |
| Kony_444 | Kóny - Markotai street | L81 | I1-M253 | I1 | |
| Szeleste_386 | Szeleste | L81 | S109 | I1-M253 | I1 |
| Hegyko_26 | Hegykő - Mező street | L840 | M253 | I1-M253 | I1 |
| Hegyko_37 | Hegykő - Mező street | L840 | I1-M253 | I1 | |
| Hegyko_40 | Hegykő - Mező street | L840 | I1-M253 | I1 | |
| Hegyko_60 | Hegykő - Mező street | L840 | M253, M450 | I1-M253 | I1 |
| Hegyko_61 | Hegykő - Mező street | L840 | M253, M450 | I1-M253 | I1 |
| Hegyko_70 | Hegykő - Mező street | L840 | M253, M450 | I1-M253 | I1 |
| Hegyko_73 | Hegykő - Mező street | M253 | I1-M253 | I1 | |
| Hegyko_75 | Hegykő - Mező street | M253 | I1-M253 | I1 | |
| Szeleste_441 | Szeleste | L22 | I1-M253/S238 | I1a1b1 | |
| Hegyko_35 | Hegykő - Mező street | Y19820 | L840, M450 | I1-M253/S238 | I1a1b1a4a1a1b1a4b2 |
| Hegyko_62 | Hegykő - Mező street | Z141 | M253 | I1-M253/S238 | I1a2a1a1a |
| Szeleste_449 | Szeleste | Z141 | S244 | I1-M253/S292 | I1a2a1a1a |
| Szeleste_479 | Szeleste | Z61 | I1-M253/S292 | I1a2a1a1 | |
| Gyirmot_23 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | Z63 | I1-M253/Z63 | I1a3 | |
| Gyirmot_36_2 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | Z63 | I1-M253/Z63 | I1a3 | |
| Hegyko_14 | Hegykő - Mező street | L702 | S151, S120 | I2-M438/L460 | I2a1b1a2a |
| Hegyko_57 | Hegykő - Mező street | L801 | S151 | I2-M438/L460 | I2a1b1a2b1 |
| Szeleste_567-1 | Szeleste | P221 | I2-M438/L460 | I2a1b1 | |
| Hegyko_69 | Hegykő - Mező street | S120 | I2-M438/L460 | I2a1b1a2b1 | |
| Hegyko_71 | Hegykő - Mező street | S120 | S151 | I2-M438/L460 | I2a1b1a2b1 |
| Menfocsanak_260-B | Ménfőcsanak | Z161 | S151 | I2-M438/L460 | I2a1b1a2b |
| Szeleste_448 | Szeleste | Z161 | S151 | I2-M438/L460 | I2a1b1a2b |
| Szeleste_501-1 | Szeleste | Z161 | S151 | I2-M438/L460 | I2a1b1a2b |
| Gyirmot_15 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | P129 | IJ-S2 | IJ | |
| Hegyko_31 | Hegykő - Mező street | S2 | IJ-S2 | IJ | |
| Hegyko_34 | Hegykő - Mező street | S2 | IJ-S2 | IJ | |
| Szeleste_462 | Szeleste | P209 | J1-M267 | J1 | |
| Gyirmot_21 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | CTS11760 | Z639 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1a1a1a1a1a1e |
| Gy-Szt_43 | Győr - Széchenyi square | L283 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1 | |
| Gy-Szt_49 | Győr - Széchenyi square | L283 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1 | |
| Hegyko_56 | Hegykő - Mező street | L283 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1 | |
| Szeleste_375 | Szeleste | L283 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1 | |
| Szeleste_959 | Szeleste | L283 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1 | |
| Gy-Szt_19 | Győr - Széchenyi square | L559 | J2-M172/M410 | J2a | |
| Szeleste_390 | Szeleste | M92 | J2-M172/M410 | J2a1a1a2b2a1a | |
| Hegyko_11 | Hegykő - Mező street | PF5138 | J2-M172/M410 | J2a1a1a2 | |
| Hegyko_45 | Hegykő - Mező street | PF5138 | J2-M172/M410 | J2a1a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_491 | Szeleste | Z1297 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1a1a1a1a | |
| Szeleste_373 | Szeleste | Z1298 | Z1297 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1a1a1a1a |
| Kony_450 | Kóny - Markotai street | Z2517 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1 | |
| Gyirmot_14 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | Z639 | J2-M172/M410 | J2b2a1a1a1a1a1a | |
| Gy-Szt_38 | Győr - Széchenyi square | P209 | J-M304 | J | |
| Gyirmot_12 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Gyirmot_13 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Gyirmot_17 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Gyirmot_19 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| GYS011 | Győr - Széchenyi square | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Gy-Szt_01 | Győr - Széchenyi square | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Gy-Szt_41-A | Győr - Széchenyi square | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Hegyko_55 | Hegykő - Mező street | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. (brother of 50) | |
| Szeleste_487 | Szeleste | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Szeleste_451 | Szeleste | S431 | CTS2929 | N-M46/M2218 | N1a1a1a1a1a1a |
| Szeleste_595 | Szeleste | S431 | CTS2929 | N-M46/M2218 | N1a1a1a1a1a1a |
| Menfocsanak_278 | Ménfőcsanak | M346 | S3234, L474 | Q-M242/M346 | Q1b |
| Gy-Szt_03 | Győr - Széchenyi square | CTS3402 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b1a2b3a | |
| Szeleste_427 | Szeleste | L168 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a | |
| Gy-Szt_29 | Győr - Széchenyi square | M417 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1 | |
| Szeleste_398 | Szeleste | M512 | L168 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a |
| Szeleste_466 | Szeleste | M515 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a | |
| Gy-Szt_11 | Győr - Széchenyi square | S204 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b1a2 | |
| Hegyko_20 | Hegykő - Mező street | S204 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b1a2 | |
| Hegyko_76 | Hegykő - Mező street | S204 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b1a2 | |
| Gy-Szt_35-A | Győr - Széchenyi square | S224 | S441 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b |
| Szeleste_554 | Szeleste | S443 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b1a3 | |
| Szeleste_511 | Szeleste | Z282 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b1a | |
| Gy-Szt_17 | Győr - Széchenyi square | Z283 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b1 | |
| Gyirmot_03 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | Z93 | R1a-M173/M420 | R1a1a1b2 | |
| Menfocsanak_408 | Ménfőcsanak | PF6485 | L265 | R1b-M173/M269 | R1b1a1b |
| Szeleste_512 | Szeleste | PF6485 | L265 | R1b-M173/M269 | R1b1a1b |
| Szeleste_578 | Szeleste | M415 | R1b-M173/M343 | R1b | |
| Menfocsanak_260-A | Ménfőcsanak | L151 | S129 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a |
| Szeleste_575 | Szeleste | L151 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a | |
| Szeleste_951 | Szeleste | L151 | S128 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a |
| Gy-Szt_15 | Győr - Széchenyi square | L20 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2b2a1 | |
| Szeleste_450 | Szeleste | L20 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2b2a1 | |
| GyFl_KE69 | Győr - Frigyes laktanya | P312 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a2a1a2 | |
| Gyirmot_01 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Gyirmot_26 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| GYS009 | Győr - Széchenyi square | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| GYS059 | Győr - Széchenyi square | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Hegyko_42 | Hegykő - Mező street | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1a2a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_437-2 | Szeleste | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_455 | Szeleste | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_461 | Szeleste | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_478 | Szeleste | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_534 | Szeleste | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_550 | Szeleste | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_599 | Szeleste | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Szeleste_953 | Szeleste | S116 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2 | |
| Gyirmot_36_1 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a2a1a1a1c | |
| Gy-Szt_47 | Győr - Széchenyi square | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a1 | |
| Kony_447 | Kóny - Markotai street | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a2a1a1 | |
| Szeleste_531 | Szeleste | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a1 | |
| Szeleste_532 | Szeleste | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a1 | |
| Szeleste_956 | Szeleste | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a1 | |
| Gy-Szt_18 | Győr - Széchenyi square | Z18 | S266, S215 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a1b |
| Menfocsanak_289 | Ménfőcsanak | Z2 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a1c2b2a1b | |
| Szeleste_598-1 | Szeleste | Z2 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a1c2b2a1b | |
| Gyirmot_32 | Gyirmót - Homokdomb | Z2105 | CTS1078 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1b |
| Gy-Szt_02 | Győr - Széchenyi square | Z2105 | CTS1078 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1b |
| Szeleste_395 | Szeleste | Z251 | L21, S521 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a2c1a1e |
| Hegyko_30 | Hegykő - Mező street | Z381 | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1a2a1a1c |
| Hegyko_33 | Hegykő - Mező street | Z381 | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1a2a1a1c |
| Hegyko_67 | Hegykő - Mező street | Z381 | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1a2a1a1c |
| Hegyko_80 | Hegykő - Mező street | Z381 | U106 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1a2a1a1c |
| Gy-Szt_39-A | Győr - Széchenyi square | Z81 | S269, Z80 | R1b-M269/L23 | R1b1a1b1a1a1c2b2b1a1a1b2 |
| Kony_446 | Kóny - Markotai street | L151 | questionable | R1b-M269/L23 ? | R1b1a |
| Kony_445 | Kóny - Markotai street | P294 | R1-m173/P294 | R1 |
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