At a glance
- When
- about 500 BCE to 400 CE
- Where
- the southern Urals and Kazakh steppe, later the Pontic steppe and the Carpathian Basin
- Entries in our catalogue
- 419 (284 individual genomes)
- Countries of the finds
- 12
What ancient DNA shows
Sarmatian individuals from the southern Urals and neighbouring steppe carry mostly western steppe ancestry related to Bronze Age herders, with a share of East Asian ancestry. Studies have found them genetically quite homogeneous across a wide area compared with earlier Scythian groups.
In the Carpathian Basin, where Sarmatian groups such as the Iazyges lived beside the Roman frontier, studies of Roman era and Hun period cemeteries found people of Sarmatian related steppe ancestry alongside others of local European ancestry.
Their genetic legacy today
Sarmatian era ancestry contributed to later steppe peoples, and Sarmatian related groups such as the Alans are often linked with ancestors of the Ossetians of the Caucasus, though ancestry there also reflects later history.
Sarmatians samples in the MYDNATLAS catalogue
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 419 entries whose culture label names the Sarmatians. 284 of them are individual genomes; the others are reference entries, such as averages of several individuals, and samples flagged as outliers. Half of the 418 dated entries fall between 100 BCE and 309 CE, with a median of 205 CE.
Where they were found
| Country | Entries |
|---|---|
| Hungary | 247 |
| Russia | 83 |
| Kazakhstan | 58 |
| Romania | 16 |
| Moldova | 3 |
| Serbia | 3 |
| Ukraine | 3 |
| Italy | 2 |
Most common labels
| Label | Entries |
|---|---|
| Sarmatian (Iron Age / Roman-Era Steppe Nomad) | 144 |
| Sarmatian | 82 |
| Late Sarmatian / Hunnic Period | 63 |
| Sarmato-Hunnic (Migration Period) | 31 |
| Sarmatian (Roman-Era Lower Danube, Romania) | 16 |
| Early Sarmatian | 12 |
Measured from the live catalogue on 2026-10-17. Dates are those recorded for each entry; the archaeological dates of the culture are given above. See our data sources for where the samples come from.
Compare your DNA with the Sarmatians
To see how close you sit to Sarmatians samples, you need your DNA as G25 coordinates. Download your raw data file from your testing company, convert it, and MYDNATLAS compares your coordinates with these entries and the rest of the catalogue, period by period, in its closest population and mixture tools.
- Download your raw DNA file: step by step for each testing company.
- Upload it from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage or FamilyTreeDNA, or another supported provider.
- Explore the results with the period by period breakdown and closest populations.
Start free: browse the Population Encyclopedia. The Population Encyclopedia is free to browse with a free account; analysing your own DNA needs a paid plan.
Questions
How many Sarmatians samples does MYDNATLAS hold?
Our ancient DNA catalogue holds 419 entries labelled as Sarmatians, of which 284 are individual genomes; the rest are reference entries such as group averages, and flagged outliers. Figures measured 2026-10-17.
Where were the Sarmatians samples found?
They come from 12 countries, most often Hungary, Russia, Kazakhstan, Romania and Moldova. Half of the dated entries fall between 100 BCE and 309 CE.
How were the Sarmatians different from the Scythians?
Both were Iranian-speaking steppe nomads with mainly western steppe ancestry. The Sarmatians came later, from further east, and the studied Sarmatian individuals tend to be more genetically uniform.