The origin of the Carpathian Avar elites revealed

Abstract

In the sixth century, the Avar elites established themselves in the Carpathian Basin as evidenced today by the astounding archaeological sites with exquisite grave goods made of silver and gold. Recently reported in Cell, Gnecchi-Ruscone et al.1 obtained paleogenomic evidence from Avar sites in Hungary, placing the Avar elites’ origin in Mongolia and confirming their own historical claims.