Unveiling the Origins and Genetic Makeup of the 'Forgotten People': A Study of the Sarmatian-Period Population in the Carpathian Basin

Schütz, O.; Maroti, Z.; Tihanyi, B.; Kiss P, A.; Nyerki, E.; Ginguta, A.; Kiss, P.; Varga, G. I. B.; Kovacs, B.; Maar, K.; Kovacsoczy Ny., B.; Lukacs, N.; Major, I.; Marcsik, A.; Patyi, E.; Szigeti, A.; Toth, Z.; Walter, D.; Wilhelm, G.; Andrasi Cs., R.; Bernert, Z.; Kis, L.; Ota, L.; Palfi, G.; Pintye, G.; Popity, D.; Simalcsik, A.; Soficaru, A. D.; Spekker, O.; Varga, S.; Neparaczki, E.; Török, T.

doi:10.1101/2024.10.04.616652

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.10.04.616652

Unveiling the Origins and Genetic Makeup of the 'Forgotten People': A Study of the Sarmatian-Period Population in the Carpathian Basin

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Abstract

SO_SCPLOWUMMARYC_SCPLOWThe nomadic Sarmatians dominated the Pontic Steppe from 3rd century BCE and the Great Hungarian Plain from 50 CE until the Huns 4th-century expansion. In this study, we present the first large-scale genetic analysis of 156 genomes from 1st- to 5th-century Hungary and the Carpathian foothills. Our findings reveal minor East Asian ancestry in the Carpathian Basin (CB) Sarmatians, distinguishing them from other regional populations. Using F4-statistics, qpAdm, and IBD analysis, we show that CB Sarmatians descended from Steppe Sarmatians originating in the Ural and Kazakhstan regions, with Romanian Sarmatians serving as a genetic bridge between the two groups. We also identify two previously unknown migration waves during the Sarmatian era and a notable continuity of the Sarmatian population into the Hunnic period, despite a smaller influx of Asian-origin individuals. These results shed new light on Sarmatian migrations and the genetic history of a key population neighbouring the Roman Empire.

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Schütz, O., Maroti, Z., Tihanyi, B., Kiss P, A., Nyerki, E., Ginguta, A., Kiss, P., Varga, G. I. B., Kovacs, B., Maar, K., Kovacsoczy Ny., B., Lukacs, N., Major, I., Marcsik, A., Patyi, E., Szigeti, A., Toth, Z., Walter, D., Wilhelm, G., Andrasi Cs., R., Bernert, Z., Kis, L., Ota, L., Palfi, G., Pintye, G., Popity, D., Simalcsik, A., Soficaru, A. D., Spekker, O., Varga, S., Neparaczki, E., Török, T.. 2024-10-07. Unveiling the Origins and Genetic Makeup of the 'Forgotten People': A Study of the Sarmatian-Period Population in the Carpathian Basin. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.10.04.616652

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