New DNA Study Challenges Long-Held Beliefs About the Origins of the Huns

Research reveals the Huns were a genetically diverse group with roots in Europe, Central Asia, and the Xiongnu elite of Mongolia.

A study analyzing 370 ancient genomes suggests the Huns were not solely of Central Asian origin but had a mixed ancestry including European and Caucasian influences.
The research indicates only a small portion of the Huns' genetic makeup can be traced to the Xiongnu, a nomadic empire in Mongolia that dissolved centuries before the Huns emerged in Europe.
The findings challenge the traditional narrative that the Huns were a homogenous group migrating directly from the Mongolian steppe to Europe.
DNA evidence reveals the Huns' population was shaped by complex mobility and intermixing rather than a singular migration event.
Published in the journal PNAS, the study sheds light on the broader migration patterns that influenced Europe's history during late antiquity.