Genetic population structure of the Xiongnu Empire at imperial and local scales.
Sci Adv
; 9(15): eadf3904, 2023 04 14.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37058560
ABSTRACT
The Xiongnu established the first nomadic imperial power, controlling the Eastern Eurasian steppe from ca. 200 BCE to 100 CE. Recent archaeogenetic studies identified extreme levels of genetic diversity across the empire, corroborating historical records of the Xiongnu Empire being multiethnic. However, it has remained unknown how this diversity was structured at the local community level or by sociopolitical status. To address this, we investigated aristocratic and local elite cemeteries at the western frontier of the empire. Analyzing genome-wide data from 18 individuals, we show that genetic diversity within these communities was comparable to the empire as a whole, and that high diversity was also observed within extended families. Genetic heterogeneity was highest among the lowest-status individuals, implying diverse origins, while higher-status individuals harbored less genetic diversity, suggesting that elite status and power was concentrated within specific subsets of the broader Xiongnu population.
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Cementerios
/
Genética de Población
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article