Ancient-DNA Study Identifies Originators of Indo-European Language Family
21st December 2025
A pair of landmark studies has genetically identified the originators of the massive Indo-European family of 400-plus languages.
Results of the international ancient-DNA studies, published Feb. 5 in Nature and supported in part by the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, place these linguistic pioneers within the borders of current-day Russia during the Eneolithic or Copper Age about 6,500 years ago. They were spread from the steppe grasslands along the lower Volga River to the northern foothills of the Caucasus Mountains.