The Yamnaya people were a nomadic pastoralist culture that emerged on the Pontic-Caspian Steppe around 3300 BCE. They played a crucial role in the cultural and genetic landscape of Eurasia during the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age.
Known for their distinctive burial practices, including kurgan burial mounds, or pit graves. The Yamnaya are associated with the spread of Indo-European languages. the Yamna culture, also known as the Pit Grave culture or Ochre Grave culture, was a late Copper Age to early Bronze Age archaeological culture in Ukraine and Russia. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Yamnaya were skilled horse riders and charioteers, facilitating their mobility across vast expanses.
Their migrations and interactions with neighboring cultures contributed to the formation of the Corded Ware culture in Europe and influenced the genetic makeup of modern populations. Genetic studies indicate that the Yamnaya played a significant role in the ancestry of many present-day Europeans and South Asians. Their impact on the cultural and genetic tapestry of Eurasia underscores their importance in the prehistoric development of these regions.
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