Ancient genomes reveal Avar-Hungarian transformations in the 9th-10th centuries CE Carpathian Basin

AI interpretationAI-generated

Ancient DNA tracks Avar-to-Hungarian population shifts in the Carpathian Basin.

This study analyzed 296 ancient individuals from western Hungary, including 103 whole genomes, spanning the 5th to 11th centuries. Using identity-by-descent networks, it reveals fine-scale population structure and dynamic changes across microregions. The results show that even nearby communities differed, and that Huns, Avars, and conquering Hungarians were not a single continuous population but underwent homogenization, admixture, and discontinuity.

• Transdanubia had spatial and temporal population differences even between neighboring communities.
• There was discontinuity between Hunnic, Avar, and Hungarian conquest-period groups.
• Ancestry linked to the Hungarian conquerors spread and merged with local populations.

Sample interpretation

The site sample includes 93 individuals, with 76 resolved Y-haplogroups. The most common Y lines are I-S17250 (5), R-L51 (4), E-CTS1273 (4), and R-L1029 (3), showing a mix of European and steppe-related paternal lineages. Mitochondrial DNA is diverse, with H, H4a1a1a, H6c, J1c3, and D4j8 present, reflecting both local and eastern maternal contributions.

For genealogy enthusiasts

For ancestry enthusiasts, this study shows that the Carpathian Basin was a dynamic contact zone. Y and mtDNA diversity means personal ancestry may reflect Avar, Hungarian conqueror, or local roots, and dense sampling is key to interpreting regional histories.