Mitochondrial DNA of Ancient Cumanians: Culturally Asian Steppe Nomadic Immigrants with Substantially More Western Eurasian Mitochondrial DNA Lineages

The Cumanians were originally Asian pastoral nomads who in the 13th century migrated to Hungary. We have examined mitochondrial DNA from members of the earliest Cumanian population in Hungary from two archeologically well-documented excavations and from 74 modern Hungarians from different rural loca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human biology 2005-10, Vol.77 (5), p.639-662
Main Authors: BOGÁCSI-SZABÓ, ERIKA, KALMÁR, TIBOR, CSÁNYI, BERNADETT, TÖMÖRY, GYÖNGYVÉR, CZIBULA, ÁGNES, PRISKIN, KATALIN, HORVÁTH, FERENC, DOWNES, CHRISTOPHER STEPHEN, RASKÓ, ISTVÁN
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Archaeology
Asian Continental Ancestry Group - genetics
Asians
Biological anthropology
Bones
Complementarity Determining Regions - genetics
Cumanians
DNA
DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
Emigration and immigration
European Continental Ancestry Group - genetics
Europeans
Excavations
Forensic Anthropology
Gene amplification
Genetic aspects
Genetic linkage
Genetic Variation
Genetics
Genetics, Population - methods
Geography
Haplotypes
Haplotypes - genetics
Human biology
Human genetics
Humans
Hungary
Migration
Mitochondrial DNA
Molecular Sequence Data
Nomads
Noncitizens
Polymerase chain reaction
Population Dynamics
Population genetics
Samples
Sequencing
Steppes
Structure
Transients and Migrants
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Description
Summary:The Cumanians were originally Asian pastoral nomads who in the 13th century migrated to Hungary. We have examined mitochondrial DNA from members of the earliest Cumanian population in Hungary from two archeologically well-documented excavations and from 74 modern Hungarians from different rural locations in Hungary. Haplogroups were defined based on HVS 1 sequences and examinations of haplogroup-associated polymorphic sites of the protein coding region and of HVS II. To exclude contamination, some ancient DNA samples were cloned. A database was created from previously published mtDNA HVS I sequences (representing 2,615 individuals from different Asian and European populations) and 74 modern Hungarian sequences from the present study. This database was used to determine the relationships between the ancient Cumanians, modern Hungarians, and Eurasian populations and to estimate the genetic distances between these populations. We attempted to deduce the genetic trace of the migration of Cumanians. This study is the first ancient DNA characterization of an eastern pastoral nomad population that migrated into Europe. The results indicate that, while still possessing a Central Asian steppe culture, the Cumanians received a large admixture of maternal genes from more westerly populations before arriving in Hungary. A similar dilution of genetic, but not cultural, factors may have accompanied the settlement of other Asian nomads in Europe.
ISSN:0018-7143
1534-6617
1534-6617
DOI:10.1353/hub.2006.0007