An international team of researchers, led by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, has conducted an unprecedented archaeogenetic study on the life and structure of Avar communities in the Early Middle Ages (567–822 CE).
Specifically, the analysis of human remains from more than 700 individuals buried in the cemeteries of Mödling and Leobersdorf, located south of Vienna, has yielded surprising findings. These sites, situated close to one another, exhibited significant genetic differences but also revealed a remarkable level of cultural integration between communities of disparate origins.
The study focused on two key cemeteries. In Leobersdorf, the analyzed human remains predominantly showed East Asian genetic origins, while in Mödling, European ancestry prevailed. Despite this marked genetic difference, both communities coexisted for at least six generations.
The genetic findings, made possible through advanced ancient DNA analysis techniques, allowed researchers to reconstruct family trees spanning six generations in each site.
The data revealed strong family ties within each community, although no close kinship relationships were identified among distant relatives. Furthermore, almost none of the mothers buried in these cemeteries had local ancestry, suggesting that the women came from other communities.
In Leobersdorf, these women were of East Asian lineage, while in Mödling, they were of European descent. However, both communities shared similar cultural practices, emphasizing successful social integration despite genetic differences.
The peaceful coexistence between the communities is a noteworthy aspect of the study. Despite the historical reputation of the Avars as warriors, the analyzed skeletons showed no signs of battle wounds or malnutrition, and weapons were rarely included in the graves.
According to Doris Pany-Kucera, an anthropologist at the Natural History Museum of Vienna, these findings align with historical records describing this period as one of stability in the Vienna Basin.
Although genetic differences between Mödling and Leobersdorf were evident, the communities shared status symbols, such as ornaments and brooches decorated with griffin figures, typical of Avar culture.
According to Walter Pohl, a historian at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, these cultural similarities indicate that both communities identified as part of the same ethnic group, despite their biological differences.
The study, conducted as part of the HistoGenes project funded by the European Research Council, not only answers questions about Avar ancestry but also opens new avenues for interdisciplinary research.
Johannes Krause, director of the Max Planck Institute, highlighted that the Mödling cemetery is one of the largest sites analyzed genetically to date, providing a solid foundation for future studies in archaeology, anthropology, and genetics.
Moreover, the findings challenge the notion that genes and culture must always align. In this case, cultural integration prevailed over biological differences, demonstrating that ethnic identities can be built more on shared practices than on genetic ancestry.
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