A nomadic empire dominated the Asian steppes for three centuries from 200 BC. Now, ancient DNA evidence is spilling the secrets of one of the era’s most powerful political forces.
A nomadic empire dominated the Asian steppes for three centuries from 200 BC, trading goods on the Silk Road, building elaborate tombs for its dead and conquering distant lands on horseback. Known as the Xiongnu, the empire saw conflict with great rival imperial China that resulted in the construction of the Great Wall, parts of which still stand today.
“These elite women possessed the materials not only for displaying their status but also for enacting power, such as prestigious wares for hosting politicized feasts,” said Bryan Miller, project archaeologist for the study and assistant professor of Central Asian art and archaeology at the University of Michigan.
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