Ancient genomes reveal trans-Eurasian connections between the European Huns and the Xiongnu Empire.

ABSTRACT: The Huns appeared in Europe in the 370s, establishing an Empire that reshaped West Eurasian history. Yet until today their origins remain a matter of extensive debate. Traditional theories link them to the Xiongnu, the founders of the first nomadic empire of the Mongolian steppe. The Xiongnu empire dissolved, however, ~300 y before the Huns appeared in Europe, and there is little archaeological and historical evidence of Huns in the steppe during this time gap. Furthermore, despite the rich 5th to 6th centuries current era (CE) archaeological record of the Carpathian Basin, the cultural elements of connections with the steppe are limited to few findings and even fewer solitary eastern-type burials. In this study, we coanalyze archaeological evidence with 35 newly sequenced and published ge

SUBMITTER: Gnecchi-Ruscone GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11892651 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature