Croatian Origins | A Genetic and Cultural History

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It begins with a mystery.

Potočani is a small farming village in the Croatian interior, closer to the borders of Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina than to its own capital Zagreb. In 2007, a villager in the nearby hills began to dig a foundation for a garage. Heavy rains stopped his work and revealed a small pit. Bones protruded from the earth.

The villager knew he had found a mass grave. But to further identify the skeletons he called the University of Zagreb. By chance, an archaeological team was nearby working on a highway project. They were able to study the remains on the very same day.

Mass graves are an unfortunate part of the landscape in that region. 44 corpses were identified. At first, it was assumed that the bodies were from the recent Balkans conflict, or perhaps from World War II, but they found no modern objects in the pit. Upon inspecting the teeth of the dead, they found no fillings. These were not modern corpses. In fact, they were prehistoric. And they were men and women, old and young, close kin and stranger.
Potočani is the oldest indiscriminate massacre ever discovered.

Mario Novak, head of the Laboratory for Evolutionary Anthropology and Bioarchaeology at the Institute for Anthropological Research in Zagreb, Croatia, led a team who published a study in Plos One called Genome-wide analysis of nearly all the victims of a 6200 year old massacre. It details the genetic characteristics of 41 of the 44 bodies. The remaining three had insufficient material remaining for a genetic sample. What they learned opens a window into ancient Croatia.

The paper states: Direct radiocarbon dates (~4200 BCE) as well as several recovered pottery fragments, assign the massacred people to the Middle Eneolithic (Copper Age) Lasinja culture which was widespread in the region of continental Croatia, northern Bosnia, Slovenia, eastern Austria, and western Hungary.

[studyofantiquityandthemidd]

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[minseyoong]

Kurds love you, my Croatian brothers 🇭🇷☀️

[terryharris]

The land of my Grandfather, he came to New Zealand about 1911, Family name Brljevich from area of Grad Vrgorac.

[romangenzic]

I am croat, few years ago my DNA was analysed with following result: 41% Balkan, 30% East Europe, 25% West Europe, 4% Scandinavian origin.

[B.Mega.D]

Byli sobie bracia trzej ktorzy rozómieli się....greetings to my Croatian brothers from Poland.

[NorthCharlton]

You might help viewers by stipulating when you are using stock or substitution footage for narrative purposes of instead of actual documentary images. Although I will attempt to watch this through to the end and the possible explanation, despite the horrible stilted and unnatural vocal delivery, I was brought up short by the view of the skulls at 4:42. No brow ridges. Low bridge nasal bones. Are these from the population in the pit? And then at 21:17 images of supposed Neanderthal types in a cave as you ramble on about consanguineous mating? Geez

[magdalenabuljan]

Red Croatia 🇭🇷 and ancient pagan White Croatia 🇺🇦. ❤

In Western Ukraine today still exists an ancient settlement of Stilsko, capital city of pagan Croats ❤

[Mztbtc]

Hello To my Scythian / Sarmation brothers, from Northern Iran, Long live Hrvatska

[krunomrki]

I appreciate the effort you have invested in this video, but this was very long time ago before name of Croats/Hrvati (in Croatian)was introduced in area. Territory of modern Croatia was inhabited in the time of Roman conquest (2nd to 1st century BC) by various peoples: in northern Croatia (between Sava and Drava rivers) different nations known to the Romans as: Pannoni (Variciani, Iassae, Breuci, Amantini, Segestani, Colapiani, etc.). Also, in north-west was influence of Gallic (Celtic) tribes as Taurisci from modern Slovenia; in Istria were Histri, in Lika and Gorski kotar regions: Iapodes/Japodi; in Kvarner islands and in modern northern Dalmatia: Liburni; in central Dalmatia and in western Bosna-Hercegovina: Delmatae/Delmati, around Neretva Daorsi etc. And Illiri (in sensu stricto/propriae dicti) were to the south of Neretva river, with centers in Boka kotorska and at Skadar lake in modern Crna Gora (Montenegro). The last great revolt/war of those peoples against Roman government was in year 6 to 9 AD, so called Great Dalmatian-Pannonian war (or rebellion of two Batons), in time of Augustus. The most important nations in this war against Rome were: Delmati, Desidiati (from central Bosna) and Breuci from modern eastern Slavonija region in Croatia, indicating that this rebellion's backbone stretched from Adriatic sea in central Dalmatia to the Danube and Drava river in the north. However, after this war more peaceful era began and in year 213 AD emperor Caracala gave Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of Roman Empire. Roman provinces Pannonia and Dalmatia gave birth to the 3 emperors of the late Empire, among them the most known is emperor Diocletianus (Dioklecijan), who was important reformer of Roman army, economy, politics and administration at the end of 3rd century AD. He introduced the tetrarchy system of government (with two Caesars and two Augusts ruling in the same time as co-rulers). He was also the first Roman emperor that abdicated peacefully and he retired himself in great fortifyed palace. From this palace during the 7th century AD city Split developed and its name Split comes from Latin spalatum, spalato. Croats/Hrvati came to Dalmatia, according to emperor Porfirogennetos' work "De administrando imperio" (lived and wrote cca. year 950 AD) during the reign of emperor Heraklios (610-641) in Konstantinopolis (Carigrad/later Istanbul). So, there is no name of Croats/Hrvati in this area before this. Croats/Hrvati came according to Porfirogennetos from Bijela (Bela/Bila) Hrvatska/White Croatia which was situated in the north, between Moravians (eastern part of modern Czech) and Mazowians (modern eastern Poland) and beyond Bagibareia (most probably miss-spelling of name Babia Gora, the mountain near Tatra in southern Poland). According to the family telling by duke Mihailo of Zahumlie from the first half of 10th century (modern Hercegovina around Neretva river) his family came from area around river Visla (Vistula). Also, from other historical sources, as from "Poviest vremenih let" (History of far-gone years), in Croatian: "Povijest minulih ljeta", written in 11/12 century by a monk Nestor from Kiev (Kiiv), we can find out that Croats/Hrvati were during the 9th and 10th century one of important tribes in area of modern central-western Ukraina. Modern genetics also confirmed spreading of paternal I2a from Ukraina towards Adriatic-Dinaric region. Also, Ukrainians are in language ikavians as well as large part of modern Croats (when it goes about reflection of voice "iat"), examples: wind=vitar (in Dalmatia and in Ukraina); body= tilo; medical doctor, healer=likar; river= rika, and so on ... Conclusion is that Croats/Hrvati as a Slavic speaking people were developed in Ukraina and from Ukraina they migrated to the west (southern Poland, modern east Czechia, southern Austria, Lika and Dalmatia regions). But their name Hrvati was part of their non-Slavic heritage. Namely, established linguists from Max Vasmer to the Ranko Matasović today, agree that the name Hrvati is ethimologicly derived from branch of Iranian languages, most likely from some Sarmatian language, as R. Matasović has proposed from Alanian Hurvatu (meaning: guard, keeper, watchman). And Matasović explained this through strict rules and methods of comparative linguistics. Also, in site of ancient city of Tanais, situated at the mouth of river Don to the sea of Azov (south Russia near Ukrainian Crimea) were found two stone tablets in classical Greek alphabet from cca. year 200 AD. On the tablets are listed names of citizens that held some office, as well the name of the king that called him self Sauromat. Among other names are persons : Horouathos, Horoathos, what is very similar to Croatian national name Hrvat/Horvat and to the name of Hrvati from Chronicle of Nestor as well to the Porfirogennetos' Hrovatoi. So, it seems that some Sarmatian/Alanian group migrated to the west (name of Horiv, one of brothers that found Kiiv and also small river Horvatka in Kiiv region). According to the Nestor Hrvati in Ukraina were attacked by Volodimir of Kiiv in year 993. Also, some Croats are mentioned in documents from Prague (Czech), as the people living in eastern part of Bohemia during the 10th century.(Name Bohemia for Czech land comes from ancient Celtic tribe of Boii; later, during the 1st and 2nd century AD, Germanic peoples of Marcomanni and Quadi widespread name as Boioheim to the neighbouring Bayern/Bavaria in Germany.) Geographical maps and documents dating from the 10th century, issued by the rulers of Ottonic dynasty (emperors: Otto I, Otto II, Otto III) are giving the testimony of some group of Croats in south Austria's region Kärnten (Carantania, Carentana, Carinthia in middle ages; Koruška in modern Croatian) between rivers Drava and Mura (region named in maps as: Crowati around modern Klagenfurt). During the 19th century in Ukraina under Russian tsar's government, about 17 000 inhabitants declared themselves as Hrvati.

[annepoitrineau]

This is another really dense one which I will have to watch/listen to again. Thank you!

[Unwoken_European]

It's true, the northern croatia is full of untouched areas ready for "digging". Sometimes you walk in the forest and you can see unusual hilly area that are too specific and geometrical to be natural. They have already found bunch of roman age hotspots around my town.

[riri-lmfk]

somebody noticed we exist???!?!??!?!?! awsome, ty so much for this :D

[magdalenabuljan]

🇭🇷🇺🇦 Croatia is named after White Croats, Bili Chorvati people who came from ancient pagan White Great Croatia once located in Western Ukraine, south-eastern Poland, north-eastern Slovakia-Czechia and Hungary.
In Western Ukraine today still exists an ancient settlement of Stilsko, capital city of pagan Croats.
🇭🇷🇺🇦Ukraine and Croatia together for years celebrate common ethnic heritage of ancient Croat people.

Ethic White Croats still live in Western Ukraine today ❤

Byzantine emperor Heraclius invited White Croats from pagan White Croatia in 626 to settle in roman provinces.
Frankish emperor Charlemagne settled in roman provinces other part of White Croats in the 8th century. New colony of Red (southern) Croatia was established.

When Hungarians conquered slavic Pannonia province in the 9th century, Red Croatia separated from pagan northern White Croatia.

Byzantine emperor Heraclius invited roman missionaries to baptise pagan Croats newcomers, pope John IV. in 641. sent roman missionaries and frankish monk Martin to baptise Croat newcomers.

Frankish missionaries finished christianisation process of the Croats in the 9th century. Red Croatia became Frankish vassal.
Croatians are the first Slavic people to convert to christianity.

[paul]

A beautiful looking and fascinating part of the world! I must visit some day

[leandr]

The title is completely misleading.
Origins of Croatia are rooted in V-VI century with Slavic migration into Illiryc region of former Roman Empire.
Scientists try to find where Slavic migrants came from, why do Croatian language have lot of inclusions of Iranian and steppe origin and what was the impact of migration on Illiric communities.

You can see in 2:50 diagram Potocani ancient genomes have not much in common with current ones.

[Contessa]

Very proud of my Croatian Heritage. Please continue to expand on this subject thank you!❤❤

[operamaniak]

I love your accurate pronunciation of the Slavic names. Great presentation!

[mikeny]

Your title is misleading this has nothing to do with the modern Croats they came to that region in 700AD

[ag]

Interesting - you mentioned the "Lengyel" culture. In Hungarian, "Lengyel" means Polish. I wonder if there is a connection, or just coincidence?

[HistoryandHeadlines]

One of my best friends in high school was of Croatian origin!