Ancient genomic profile of the Shatuo Turkic leader Li Keyong

The Shatuo Turks played a pivotal role in late Tang and Five Dynasties China. However, similar to other Turkic groups, the genetic history and population origins of the Shatuo remain poorly understood. This study presents a genomic investigation of a Shatuo leader through the analysis of ancient DNA from Li Keyong (856 CE-908 CE), founder of the Later Tang dynasty, providing an opportunity to elucidate the genetic composition and origins of this pivotal group. Through comprehensive population genetic analyses, including PCA, ADMIXTURE analysis, f-statistics, and qpAdm modeling, we found that Li Keyong had a nearly balanced admixture, with 53.4% Ancient Northeast Asian and 46.6% Western Steppe ancestry. Additionally, he carried a Western Eurasian paternal lineage (R1a1a1b2∼AM01870) and an Eastern Steppe maternal lineage (C4a1a+195). This genetic profile contrasts sharply with the predominantly Northeast Asian ancestry observed in the Ashina royal clan, highlighting significant genetic heterogeneity within Turkic confederations. Our results suggest that the Shatuo emerged from complex cross-Eurasian interactions, consistent with the hypothesis of a multi-ethnic origin.