Although the authors of the time described a lot about the war exploits of the Avars, they searched in vain for who they were and where they came from. After 1400 years, it was possible to find answers to their questions.
Scientists analyzed DNA samples from 424 skeletons of Avars, mainly from Hungary, thanks to which they were able to compile their family tree spanning nine generations. The bones said more: they revealed kinship ties and explained how their society was structured. Data speaks of the fact that the Avars maintained their traditions.
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They arrived from what is now the Mongolian steppes
The Avars disappeared thousands of years ago, but they fundamentally influenced the Slavic population of Central Europe. Out of defiance against them, the Sámi empire arose, and Great Moravia was born on the ruins of the Avar empire.
The incoming Avar group to Europe ruled a diverse population with the help of a heterogeneous elite
Nomads came to the Carpathian Basin from present-day Mongolia. In a few years, they covered 5,000 kilometers on their journey. In human history, this is the fastest recorded migration over such a distance.
“They were clearly genetically related to populations from Northeast Asia, including an individual directly from the Rouran Empire,” said study lead author Guido Gnecchi-Ruscone.
“The incoming Avar group to Europe ruled a diverse population (note: from the area of today’s Hungary) with the help of a heterogeneous elite. It is interesting that the East Asian origin was maintained among the Avar elite for a very long time, even though they were surrounded by populations of local origin,” said Hofmanová.
It means that the ruling Avars maintained a social distance from others, and it is even possible that despite the great distance they were in close contact with their ancestral lands.
Current research confirmed the conclusions of Zuzana Hofmanová from 2022 about the origin of the Avars and significantly expanded knowledge about the composition of Avar society, its structure and the connection of the Avars with their homeland, i.e. with Asia.
Scientists have found out where the Avars came to Europe from
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Bones as a source of information
The most recent analysis showed that the Avars avoided intermarriage even with distant relatives, suggesting that they maintained a detailed memory of their ancestors and knew who their biological relatives were for generations. The company was connected through the paternal line. Graves in four necropolises from Hungary tell about the cohesion of families. The graves of the fathers are surrounded by the graves of the sons and their partners.
On the contrary, female relatives are missing. The girls left their families around the age of 18 and followed their partners to other areas. As Masaryk University also informs, so-called levirate unions were a special feature of the Avars. Within them, a father and son could have offspring with one non-biologically related woman.
According to scientists, the bones are an incredible source of information, which can no longer be found specifically among the Avars, even in the oldest written sources. DNA analysis, which is unique for each person, does not only tell about their health and possible family ties. E.g. in one of the investigated sites, it turned out that in the 7th century one paternal line was replaced by another. This is evidenced not only by a change in the burial method, but also by a fundamental change in eating habits, according to DNA.
Scientists may find out even more from the obtained samples over time…
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