A new study suggests that high-ranking women may have played a crucial role in unifying the Xiongnu, a nomadic people whose raids led China to build the Great Wall. Research published in the journal Science Advances.
The Xiongnu, who may be an ancient ancestor of the Mongols, formed a union of nomadic peoples that lasted from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. During this period, the Xiongnu controlled most of Central Asia, from modern Kazakhstan to Mongolia. Little is known about people, mostly information is obtained from Chinese sources.
Scientists from the University of Michigan analyzed DNA isolated from Xiongnu tombs located near the borders of their empire (on the outskirts of Southern Altai in Mongolia). They found that the tombs belonged to women from the deep lands of the empire, corresponding to present-day Central Mongolia. Judging by the decoration of the tombs, decorated with golden symbols of the nomads (sun and moon), women belonged to the highest elite.
The discovery shows that the elite families that controlled the Xiongnu empire sent their women to the border to strengthen their political alliances through marriage with the local elite. The richness of the tombs indicates that women enjoyed a high status throughout their lives. According to academics, this could mean that they are active participants in the plan, not just the tools of their male relatives.
At the same time, ancient DNA from remains in small tombs showed much greater genetic diversity. The people of the Xiongnu Empire often came from remote areas from the Black Sea to Eastern Mongolia.