AI interpretationAI-generated
Ancient DNA reveals the Shatuo leader Li Keyong was a 50/50 mix of Northeast Asian and Western Steppe ancestry.
Li Keyong, founder of the Later Tang, had a nearly balanced genetic makeup: 53.4% Ancient Northeast Asian and 46.6% Western Steppe ancestry. His paternal line was Western Eurasian (R1a1a1b2) and maternal line Eastern Steppe (C4a1a). This contrasts with the Ashina royal clan, who were mostly Northeast Asian, showing that Turkic groups were genetically diverse.
- Li Keyong's ancestry was 53.4% Ancient Northeast Asian and 46.6% Western Steppe, a near-even split.
- He carried a Western Eurasian paternal lineage (R1a1a1b2~AM01870) and an Eastern Steppe maternal lineage (C4a1a+195).
- His genetic profile differs sharply from the Ashina royal clan, highlighting genetic heterogeneity within Turkic confederations.
Sample interpretation
The site samples include three Y-chromosome lineages: O-FTB26869, O-F22162, and R-M417. The R-M417 lineage matches Li Keyong's Western Eurasian paternal ancestry, while the O lineages are typical of East Asian populations. Mitochondrial DNA shows D4a5, F2-C16291T, and C4a1a-T195C!, with the latter corresponding to Li Keyong's maternal line. These limited samples reflect a mix of East and West Eurasian lineages.
For genealogy enthusiasts
For ancestry enthusiasts, this study shows that Turkic elites like Li Keyong were genetically mixed, not purely Northeast Asian. It underscores the complex cross-Eurasian interactions behind groups like the Shatuo and cautions against assuming uniform ancestry for historical confederations.
Abstract
The Shatuo Turks played a pivotal role in late Tang and Five Dynasties China. However, similar to other Turkic groups, the genetic history and population origins of the Shatuo remain poorly understood. This study presents a genomic investigation of a Shatuo leader through the analysis of ancient DNA from Li Keyong (856 CE–908 CE), founder of the Later Tang dynasty, providing an opportunity to elucidate the genetic composition and origins of this pivotal group. Through comprehensive population genetic analyses, including PCA, ADMIXTURE analysis, f-statistics, and qpAdm modeling, it has been found that Li Keyong had a nearly balanced admixture, with 53.4% Ancient Northeast Asian and 46.6% Western Steppe ancestry. Additionally, he carried a Western Eurasian paternal lineage (R1a1a1b2∼AM01870) and an Eastern Steppe maternal lineage (C4a1a + 195). This genetic profile contrasts sharply with the predominantly Northeast Asian ancestry observed in the Ashina royal clan, highlighting significant genetic heterogeneity within Turkic confederations. Our results suggest that the Shatuo emerged from complex cross-Eurasian interactions, consistent with the hypothesis of a multi-ethnic origin.