What did Yamnaya look like?

 

NEW YAMNAYA FACIAL RECONSTRUCTIONS: 

About 46% of the world’s population speaks an Indo-European language as a first language, and the majority of humans on earth can speak at least one Indo-European language such as English, Spanish or Hindi. These languages all come from Proto-Indo-European speakers of the Yamnaya culture. The Yamnaya people were indigenous to the Eastern European steppe during the eneolithic and early Bronze age.

Using their skulls, the latest genetic data about their phenotype, and the latest facial reconstruction techniques, the 3D artist Robert Molyneaux was able to create realistic reconstructions of Yamnaya people for a forthcoming Survive the Jive video. We are pleased to reveal the first one in the form of this infographic which shows us what a male from Bykovo cemetery on the Volga looked like.

 His features are notably robust, particularly his chin and brow but his skull is quite long, which is typical of the dolichocephalic eastern Yamnaya. We have reconstructed him with brown eyes, which is statistically likely for his people, although we don’t have his personal DNA to check what colour hair he specifically had. His skin tone is at the darker end of the European spectrum and was based on that of modern Georgian people from the North Caucasus who have a similar range of complexions as the Yamnaya.

You can see more of him and learn all about the Yamnaya when the STJ documentary is finished later this year! In the meantime, please share this infographic all around.

Sources:

Anthony, D., ‘The Horse, the Wheel, and Language’, Princeton University Press (2007).
Haak, W., et al., ‘Massive migration from the steppe is a source for Indo-European languages in Europe’ (2015).
Hanel, A, Carlberg, C. Skin colour and vitamin D: An update. Exp Dermatol, (2020).
Heyd, V. Kossinna's smile. Antiquity, 91(356), 348-359, (2017).
Khokhlov, A. A., ‘Morphogenetic processes in the Volga-Urals in the early Holocene (based on craniological materials of the Mesolithic-Bronze Age)’ Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education Samara State Social and Pedagogical University (2017).
Klejn, L., et al. ‘Discussion: Are the Origins of Indo-European Languages Explained by the Migration of the Yamnaya Culture to the West?’ European Journal of Archaeology (2017).
Saag et al, ‘Genetic ancestry changes in Stone to Bronze Age transition in the East European plain’ (2021).