Ancient DNA connects large-scale migration with the spread of Slavs

PRJEB81250 Original Paper / DOI2025-09-03555 samples (study)

AI interpretationAI-generated

Ancient DNA tracks a large migration that reshaped Central and Eastern Europe.

This study analyzed genome-wide data from 555 ancient individuals, including 359 from early Slavic contexts dating to the 7th century CE. It found that between the 6th and 8th centuries, large-scale migration from Eastern Europe replaced over 80% of the local gene pool in Eastern Germany, Poland, and Croatia. However, regional variation and no sex-biased admixture suggest that local populations were assimilated to different degrees.

Large-scale migration from Eastern Europe replaced more than 80% of the local gene pool in Eastern Germany, Poland, and Croatia between the 6th and 8th centuries CE.
Substantial regional heterogeneity and a lack of sex-biased admixture indicate varying degrees of cultural assimilation of autochthonous populations.
In Eastern Germany, the ancestry change coincided with a shift in social organization toward increased genetic relatedness and patrilocality.

Sample interpretation

The dataset includes 586 site samples, with 226 resolved Y-chromosome lineages. The most common Y haplogroups are R-Y2608 (18), I-S9952 (9), and several others with 7 each, such as R-M269 and R-M417. Top mitochondrial haplogroups include H1c (17), H11a (10), and T2b (9). By culture, Eastern Germany has 410 samples, Northwestern Balkan 115, Poland-Northwestern Ukraine 56, and Baltics 5. The largest site is NDW200 with 200 samples.

For genealogy enthusiasts

For ancestry enthusiasts, this study shows that the spread of Slavic culture was closely tied to large-scale population movement, not just cultural diffusion. It highlights how ancient DNA can reveal migration and social structure changes, even when cremation limits data.

Abstract

The second half of the first millennium ce in Central and Eastern Europe was accompanied by fundamental cultural and political transformations. This period of change is commonly associated with the appearance of the Slavs, which is supported by textual evidence1,2 and coincides with the emergence of similar archaeological horizons3,4,5,6. However, so far there has been no consensus on whether this archaeological horizon spread by migration, Slavicisation or a combination of both. Genetic data remain sparse, especially owing to the widespread practice of cremation in the early phase of the Slavic settlement. Here we present genome-wide data from 555 ancient individuals, including 359 samples from Slavic contexts from as early as the seventh century ce. Our data demonstrate large-scale population movement from Eastern Europe during the sixth to eighth centuries, replacing more than 80% of the local gene pool in Eastern Germany, Poland and Croatia. Yet, we also show substantial regional heterogeneity as well as a lack of sex-biased admixture, indicating varying degrees of cultural assimilation of the autochthonous populations. Comparing archaeological and genetic evidence, we find that the change in ancestry in Eastern Germany coincided with a change in social organization, characterized by an intensification of inter- and intra-site genetic relatedness and patrilocality. On the European scale, it appears plausible that the changes in material culture and language between the sixth and eighth centuries were connected to these large-scale population movements.

Samples & Data on TheYtree

586samples on site

226Y haplogroup resolved

27archaeological sites

Sample Map

Map tiles by TheYtree · dot size = number of samples

Paternal (Y-DNA) Haplogroups

Haplogroup	Samples
R-Y2608	18
I-S9952	9
I-M253	7
R-M269	7
R-M417	7
I-CTS5966	7
R-CTS3402	7
J-PH1602	6
R1	5
R-L151	5
R-FGC14999	4
R-P312	4

Maternal (mtDNA) Haplogroups

H1c · 17 H11a · 10 T2b · 9 H1a · 9 H1b · 7 H36 · 7 U5a1b1 · 7 J1c5 · 7 U4a2b · 7 U5b1e1 · 7

Sample Highlights More samples →

Sample	Y-DNA	mtDNA	Culture / Period
BBC004	G-Z1815	I5c	Northwestern Balkan· 250 CE - 300 CE
BBC009	J-PH1602	H104a	Northwestern Balkan· 250 CE - 300 CE
BBC024	G-Z1815	I5c	Northwestern Balkan· 250 CE - 300 CE
BBC027	J-PH1602	K2b1b	Northwestern Balkan· 250 CE - 300 CE
BBC031	G-P303	I5c	Northwestern Balkan· 250 CE - 300 CE
BBC033	G-Z1815	I5c	Northwestern Balkan· 250 CE - 300 CE
BBC034	G-Z1815	I5c	Northwestern Balkan· 250 CE - 300 CE
BBC038	E-L618	U8a1a1	Northwestern Balkan· 250 CE - 300 CE
KRW008	R-CTS11962	K1a2	Poland-Northwestern Ukraine· 1200 CE - 1300 CE
BRC004	R-S263	U5b2a2b	Eastern Germany· 482-569 CE