Genetic admixture and language shift in the medieval Volga-Oka interfluve

Area of Science:

• Population genetics
• Paleolinguistics
• Archaeogenetics

Background:

• Northwestern Russia was historically inhabited by Uralic-speaking peoples.
• Slavic language expansion began in the first millennium CE, leading to the Kievan Rus' state.
• Medieval Rus' was multilingual, with Slavic and Uralic populations and Scandinavian rulers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate population dynamics and language shift in the Volga-Oka interfluve over 1,500 years.
• To analyze ancient genomes and stable isotopes from the Suzdal region.
• To understand the genetic basis of the shift from Uralic to Slavic languages.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 30 ancient genomes spanning 1,500 years.
• Stable isotope analysis of ancient individuals.
• Characterization of Iron Age and medieval populations in the Suzdal region.

Main Results:

• Identification of a previously unsampled local Iron Age population.
• Observation of gradual genetic turnover correlating with Slavic language spread.
• Evidence of an ethnically mixed medieval Suzdal principality.
• Discovery of genetic outliers indicating extensive medieval trade and conflict networks.

Conclusions:

• The study documents a population shift in northwestern Russia linked to the spread of Slavic languages.
• The medieval Suzdal region was a dynamic hub of genetic exchange and cultural interaction.
• The research elucidates the formation of the modern admixed, Slavic-speaking population of the area.