Genetic analysis of human remains found in two eighteenth century Yakut graves at At-Dabaan
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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
Published on: November 30, 2021
François-Xavier Ricaut1, Sergei Kolodesnikov, Christine Keyser-Tracqui
1Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Moléculaire, Institut de Médecine Légale, 11 rue Humann, 67085 Strasbourg, France. fx.ricaut@infonie.fr
Abstract:
We extracted DNA from three skeletons belonging to the Yakut population, which were excavated from the At-Dabaan site (dating back 300 years) in the Sakha Republic (Russia). Ancient DNA was analyzed by autosomal STRs (short tandem repeats) and by the sequencing of the hypervariable region 1 (HV1) of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. The results showed that these three skeletons were not close relatives but probably linked to the same clan structure. Comparison of their haplotypes with the haplotypes of 8,774 Eurasian individuals suggested a relative specificity and continuity of part of the Yakut mitochondrial gene pool during the last 3 centuries.
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