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DNA from ancient graves reveals the culture of a mysterious nomadic people

Hundreds of genomes shed light on the marriage habits and social norms of the Avar people of central Europe.
By
  1. Michael Eisenstein

    1. Michael Eisenstein is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Most people know about the Huns, if only because of their infamous warrior-ruler Attila. But the Avars, another nomadic people who subsequently occupied roughly the same region of eastern and central Europe, have remained obscure despite having assembled a sprawling empire that lasted from the late sixth century to the early ninth century. Even archaeologists have struggled to piece together their history and culture, relying on spotty and potentially biased contemporaneous chronicles that, in many cases, were authored by the Avars’ adversaries.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01165-7

Read the related News & Views, ‘Family lines and politicalshifts in the Avar empire’

References

  1. Gnecchi-Ruscone, G. A. et al. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07312-4 (2024).

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  2. Ringbauer, H. et al. Nature Genet. 56, 143–151 (2024).

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  3. Gnecchi-Ruscone, G. A. et al. Cell 185, 1402–1413 (2022).

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