Understanding 6th-century barbarian social organization and migration through paleogenomics

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06024-4
• Publication Date: 2018-08-28T09:55:09Z
• Authors: Carlos Eduardo G....; Stefania Vai; Cosimo Posth; Alessandra Modi; István Koncz; Susanne Hakenbeck; Maria Cristina La...; Balazs Mende; Dean Bobo; Walter Pohl; Luisella Pejrani ...; Elena Bedini; Paolo Francalacci; Caterina Giostra; Tivadar Vida; Daniel Winger; Uta von Freeden; Silvia Ghirotto; Martina Lari; Guido Barbujani; Johannes Krause; David Caramelli; Patrick J. Geary; Krishna R. Veeramah
• Keywords: Barbarian

Abstract Despite centuries of research, much about the barbarian migrations that took place between fourth and sixth in Europe remains hotly debated. To better understand this key era marks dawn modern European societies, we obtained ancient genomic DNA from 63 samples two cemeteries (from Hungary Northern Italy) have been previously associated with Longobards, a people ruled large parts Italy for over 200 years after invading Pannonia 568 CE. Our dense cemetery-based sampling revealed each cemetery was primarily organized around one pedigree, suggesting biological relationships played an important role these early medieval societies. Moreover, identified genetic structure involving at least groups different ancestry were very distinct terms their funerary customs. Finally, our data are consistent proposed long-distance migration to Italy.