Szoke, B. M. | Search bioRxiv

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↗

bioRxiv2019

Human Auditory Ossicles as an Alternative Optimal Source of Ancient DNA

DNA recovery from ancient human remains has revolutionized our ability to reconstruct the genetic landscape of the past. Ancient DNA research has benefited from the identification of skeletal elements, such as the cochlear part of the osseous inner ear, that provide optimal contexts for DNA preservation; however, the rich genetic information obtained from the cochlea must be counterbalanced against the loss of valuable morphological information caused by its sampling. Motivated by similarities in developmental processes and histological properties between the cochlea and auditory ossicles, we evaluated the efficacy of ossicles as an alternative source of ancient DNA. We demonstrate that ossicles perform comparably to the cochlea in terms of DNA recovery, finding no substantial reduction in data quality, quantity, or authenticity across a range of preservation conditions. Ossicles can be sampled from intact skulls or disarticulated petrous bones without damage to surrounding bone, and we argue that, when available, they should be selected over the cochlea to reduce damage to skeletal integrity. These results identify a second optimal skeletal element for ancient DNA analysis and add to a growing toolkit of sampling methods that help to better preserve skeletal remains for future research while maximizing the likelihood that ancient DNA analysis will produce useable results.

genomics↗