Biology subjects

Szeifert, B.

Publications and source records attributed to Szeifert, B..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Long shared haplotypes identify the Southern Urals as a primary source for the 10th century Hungarians

During the Hungarian Conquest in the 10th century CE, the early medieval Magyars, a group of mounted warriors from Eastern Europe, settled in the Carpathian Basin. They likely introduced the Hungarian language to this new settlement area, during an event documented by both written sources and archaeological evidence. Previous archaeogenetic research identified the newcomers as migrants from the Eurasian steppe. However, genome-wide ancient DNA from putative source populations has not been available to test alternative theories of their precise source. We generated genome-wide ancient DNA data for 131 individuals from candidate archaeological contexts in the Circum-Uralic region in present-day Russia. Our results tightly link the Magyars to people of the Early Medieval Karayakupovo archaeological horizon on both the European and Asian sides of the southern Urals. Our analyes show that ancestors of the people of the Karayakupovo archaeological horizon were established in the Southern Urals by the Iron Age and that their descendants persisted locally in the Volga-Kama region until at least the 14th century.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2024

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

During the Early Medieval period, the Carpathian Basin witnessed significant demographic shifts, notably under the Avar dominance for approximately 250 years, followed by the settlement of early Hungarians in the region during the late 9th century CE. This study presents the genetic analysis of 296 ancient samples, including 103 shotgun-sequenced genomes, from present-day Western Hungary. By employing identity-by-descent (IBD) segment sharing networks, this research offers detailed insights into the population structure and dynamics of the region from the 5th to the 11th centuries CE, with specific focus on certain microregions. Our evaluations reveal spatially different histories in Transdanubia even between communities in close geographical proximity, highlighting the importance of dense sampling and analyses. Our findings highlight extensive homogenisation and reorganization processes, discontinuities between Hun, Avar, and Conquest period immigrant groups, alongside the spread and integration of ancestry related to the Hungarian conquerors. TeaserGenetic formation of medieval Hungary, discontinuity between immigrant groups in the first millennium CE

genomics↗

bioRxiv2022

High Coverage Mitogenomes and Y-Chromosomal Typing Reveal Ancient Lineages in the Modern-day Szekely Population in Romania

Here we present 115 whole mitogenomes and 92 Y-chromosomal STR and SNP profiles from a Hungarian ethnic group, the Szekelys (in Romanian: Secuii, in German: Sekler) living in southeast Transylvania (Romania). The Szekelys can be traced back to the 12th century in the region, and numerous scientific theories exist as to their origin. We carefully selected sample providers that had local ancestors inhabiting small villages in the area of Odorheiu Secuiesc/Szekelyudvarhely in Romania. The results of our research and the reported data signify a qualitative leap compared to previous studies, since complete mitochondrial DNA sequences and Y-chromosomal data containing 23 STRs have not been available from the region until now. We evaluated the results with population genetic and phylogenetic methods, in the context of the modern and ancient populations that are either geographically or historically related to the Szekelys. Our results demonstrate a predominantly local uniparental make-up of the population that also indicates limited admixture with neighbouring populations. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the presumed eastern origin of certain maternal (A, C, D) and paternal (Q, R1a) lineages and, in some cases, they could also be linked to ancient DNA data from Migration Period (5th-9th centuries AD) and Hungarian Conquest Period (10th century AD) populations.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2022

Tracing genetic connections of ancient Hungarians to the 6-14th century populations of the Volga-Ural region

Most of the early Hungarian tribes originated from the Volga-Kama and South-Ural regions, where they were composed of a mixed population based on historical, philological, and archaeological data. We present here the uniparental genetic makeup of the medieval era of these regions that served as a melting pot for ethnic groups with different linguistic and historical backgrounds. Representing diverse cultural contexts, the new genetic data originates from ancient proto-Ob-Ugric people from Western Siberia (6th-13th century), the pre-Conquest period, and subsisting Hungarians from the Volga-Ural region (6th-14th century) and their neighbours. By examining the eastern archaeology traits of Hungarian prehistory, we also study their genetic composition and origin in an interdisciplinary framework. We analysed 110 deep-sequenced mitogenomes and 42 Y-chromosome haplotypes from 18 archaeological sites in Russia. The results support the studied groups genetic relationships regardless of geographical distances, suggesting large-scale mobility. We detected long-lasting genetic connections between the sites representing the Kushnarenkovo and Chiyalik cultures and the Carpathian Basin Hungarians and confirmed the Uralic transmission of several East-Eurasian uniparental lineages in their genepool. Based on phylogenetics, we demonstrate and model the connections and splits of the studied Volga-Ural and conqueror groups. Early Hungarians and their alliances conquered the Carpathian Basin around 890 AD. Re-analysis of the Hungarian conquerors maternal genepool reveals numerous surviving maternal relationships in both sexes; therefore, we conclude that men and women came to the Carpathian Basin together, and although they were subsequently genetically fused into the local population, certain eastern lineages survived for centuries.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2022

Interdisciplinary analyses of Bronze Age communities from Western Hungary reveal complex population histories

In this study we report 21 ancient shotgun genomes from present-day Western Hungary, from previously understudied Late Copper Age Baden, and Bronze Age Somogyvar-Vinkovci, Kisapostag, and Encrusted Pottery archaeological cultures (3530 - 1620 cal BCE). Our results indicate the presence of high steppe ancestry in the Somogyvar-Vinkovci culture. They were then replaced by the Kisapostag group, who exhibit an outstandingly high (up to [~]47%) Mesolithic hunter-gatherer ancestry, despite this component being thought to be highly diluted by the time of the Early Bronze Age. The Kisapostag population contributed the genetic basis for the succeeding community of the Encrusted pottery culture. We also found an elevated hunter-gatherer component in a local Baden culture associated individual, but no connections were proven to the Bronze Age individuals. The hunter-gatherer ancestry in Kisapostag is likely derived from two main sources, one from a Funnelbeaker or Globular Amphora culture related population and one from a previously unrecognised source in Eastern Europe. We show that this ancestry not only appeared in various groups in Bronze Age Central Europe, but also made contributions to Baltic populations. The social structure of Kisapostag and Encrusted pottery cultures is patrilocal, similarly to most contemporaneous groups. Furthermore, we developed new methods and method standards for computational analyses of ancient DNA, implemented to our newly developed and freely available bioinformatic package. By analysing clinical traits, we found carriers of aneuploidy and inheritable genetic diseases. Finally, based on genetic and anthropological data, we present here the first female facial reconstruction from the Bronze Age Carpathian Basin.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

Early Medieval Genetic Data from Ural Region Evaluated in the Light of Archaeological Evidence of Ancient Hungarians

The ancient Hungarians originated from the Ural region of Russia, and migrated through the Middle-Volga region and the Eastern European steppe into the Carpathian Basin during the 9th century AD. Their Homeland was probably in the southern Trans-Ural region, where the Kushnarenkovo culture disseminated. In the Cis-Ural region Lomovatovo and Nevolino cultures are archaeologically related to ancient Hungarians. In this study we describe maternal and paternal lineages of 36 individuals from these regions and nine Hungarian Conquest period individuals from todays Hungary, as well as shallow shotgun genome data from the Trans-Uralic Uyelgi cemetery. We point out the genetic continuity between the three chronological horizons of Uyelgi cemetery, which was a burial place of a rather endogamous population. Using phylogenetic and population genetic analyses we demonstrate the genetic connection between Trans-, Cis-Ural and the Carpathian Basin on various levels. The analyses of this new Uralic dataset fill a gap of population genetic research of Eurasia, and reshape the conclusions previously drawn from 10-11th century ancient mitogenomes and Y-chromosomes from Hungary.

genetics↗