Ancient DNA Reveals How Slavic Migrations Reshaped Central and Eastern Europe

Analysis of over 550 ancient genomes reveals the scale of Slavic migrations. The study shows that between the 6th and 8th centuries CE, Eastern Europe saw a massive influx of migrants into Eastern Germany, Poland/Ukraine, and the Northern Balkans, comprising over 80% of the ancestry in some regions. This wasn't conquest, but a movement of entire families and communities. Eastern Germany saw a shift to large, patrilineal family structures, while Croatia saw a blending of old and new traditions. This research fundamentally alters our understanding of Slavic expansion, demonstrating its complexity and diversity in shaping the genetic and linguistic landscape of modern Central and Eastern Europe.