As someone from Serbia, I noticed that the article linked to "9th or 10th millennium BC Serbia" is about Sardinia. Is there anything about Serbia? Thank you
The Serbian R1b-V88 find is mentioned in page 25 of the supplement of the linked paper. You can find the supplement (labeled "Supplementary Information") towards the bottom, and download it as a pdf.
Thanks. Wondering what you think of the alternative hypothesis that R1b-V88 migrated directly into northern Africa from the Levant. How can we distinguish between the two hypotheses and assess their relative merits? Here is an exposition of that alternative hypothesis:
the basal branches of R1b-V88 in Sardinia strongly suggest that it spread from Western Mediterranean, and not the Middle East. The autosomal DNA evidence lines up with EEFs penetrating deep into the Green Sahara before 4000 BC, whereas steppe or EHG populations weren't pushing into even the Balkans or Caucasus until later. Even if they had, the Uruks would have kept them out.
The high amount (~30-40% in Tunisians, ~10-20% in Toubou) of EEF ancestry in modern north African populations as well as a tiny amount of WHG ancestry (there would be more WHG ancestry if the EEF migration into north Africa happened after 4400 BC) is I believe evidence of early EEF penetration into Green Sahara in addition to the small amount of EEF ancestry found in the Laal.
There was Cardial Ware pottery in Morocco (associated with EEFs) by end of the 6th millennium BC, and DNA confirmation of substantial (~50% of ancestry) EEF ancestry in Morocco by 3800 BC at the latest. The hinge of my argument is that the Tenerean culture of the 5th millennium BC is the missing link between the presumably R1b-V88 carrying proto-Chadic Leiterband Culture of the Nile Basin and the Cardial Ware culture EEFs who settled Iberia in the 6th millennium. Supposedly Reich Lab is working on DNA sequencing the Gobero PaleoLake skeletons. If I'm right, the ones from 5200-2500 BC will have a lot of EEF ancestry - and will likely carry the R1b-V88 lineage.
A fascinating paper! It is not every day that one comes across something as enriching as this, even though it may be well outside of one's field. Thanks for the link, Niccolo! Now, Mr. Nimitz, about your mention of Sardinia... Do you have any information about the indigenous peoples of that island? I believe I had come across some mention of their genetic uniqueness. Not sure. I ask because I had my DNA tested by one of those outfits, in this case MyHeritage. I am Jewish, of mixed Sephardic (North Africa/Spain/Italy/Middle East) and Ashkenazi (Central Europe) descent. In the original readout I got from MyH I had 9+% of Sardinian ancestry. Fascinating. Some time later, MyH re-did their breakdown and the Sardinian disappeared. Well...those outfits are not entirely trustworthy...OK, I may be a descendant of wandering Jews who landed in Sardinia and spent time there...or maybe not, according to MyH second edition. So, what is it about Sardinia, if anything, should you have any such information . Thanks!
I'm not aware of anything comprehensive on Sardinia, but their prehistory has been illuminated recently. They are even today mostly the descendants of the Anatolian Farmers who spread agriculture into Europe, with little ancestry from the peoples who have invaded Europe since then. A relic of Old Europe in a lot of ways.
I'm sharing this one with readers today over at my Substack.
Really enjoyed, will be paying subscriber if you can put out content at least monthly!
As someone from Serbia, I noticed that the article linked to "9th or 10th millennium BC Serbia" is about Sardinia. Is there anything about Serbia? Thank you
The Serbian R1b-V88 find is mentioned in page 25 of the supplement of the linked paper. You can find the supplement (labeled "Supplementary Information") towards the bottom, and download it as a pdf.
Thanks. Wondering what you think of the alternative hypothesis that R1b-V88 migrated directly into northern Africa from the Levant. How can we distinguish between the two hypotheses and assess their relative merits? Here is an exposition of that alternative hypothesis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGwApjdDy6M
the basal branches of R1b-V88 in Sardinia strongly suggest that it spread from Western Mediterranean, and not the Middle East. The autosomal DNA evidence lines up with EEFs penetrating deep into the Green Sahara before 4000 BC, whereas steppe or EHG populations weren't pushing into even the Balkans or Caucasus until later. Even if they had, the Uruks would have kept them out.
Sorry, I think D'Atanasio et al 2018 is the cite for the 4000 BC date, right?
https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-018-1393-5
Thanks for replying! That makes a lot of sense and sounds compelling. Do you have any citations for the pre-4000BC date for EEFs in the Green Sahara?
I want to say thanks again for the article. It was extremely thought-provoking and well written!
The high amount (~30-40% in Tunisians, ~10-20% in Toubou) of EEF ancestry in modern north African populations as well as a tiny amount of WHG ancestry (there would be more WHG ancestry if the EEF migration into north Africa happened after 4400 BC) is I believe evidence of early EEF penetration into Green Sahara in addition to the small amount of EEF ancestry found in the Laal.
There was Cardial Ware pottery in Morocco (associated with EEFs) by end of the 6th millennium BC, and DNA confirmation of substantial (~50% of ancestry) EEF ancestry in Morocco by 3800 BC at the latest. The hinge of my argument is that the Tenerean culture of the 5th millennium BC is the missing link between the presumably R1b-V88 carrying proto-Chadic Leiterband Culture of the Nile Basin and the Cardial Ware culture EEFs who settled Iberia in the 6th millennium. Supposedly Reich Lab is working on DNA sequencing the Gobero PaleoLake skeletons. If I'm right, the ones from 5200-2500 BC will have a lot of EEF ancestry - and will likely carry the R1b-V88 lineage.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1800851115 & https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317339630_The_beginning_of_the_Neolithic_in_northwestern_Morocco & https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abi7038
Terrific read. I’d love to learn more about the Toubou. Mysterious origins and rich history.
A fascinating paper! It is not every day that one comes across something as enriching as this, even though it may be well outside of one's field. Thanks for the link, Niccolo! Now, Mr. Nimitz, about your mention of Sardinia... Do you have any information about the indigenous peoples of that island? I believe I had come across some mention of their genetic uniqueness. Not sure. I ask because I had my DNA tested by one of those outfits, in this case MyHeritage. I am Jewish, of mixed Sephardic (North Africa/Spain/Italy/Middle East) and Ashkenazi (Central Europe) descent. In the original readout I got from MyH I had 9+% of Sardinian ancestry. Fascinating. Some time later, MyH re-did their breakdown and the Sardinian disappeared. Well...those outfits are not entirely trustworthy...OK, I may be a descendant of wandering Jews who landed in Sardinia and spent time there...or maybe not, according to MyH second edition. So, what is it about Sardinia, if anything, should you have any such information . Thanks!
I'm not aware of anything comprehensive on Sardinia, but their prehistory has been illuminated recently. They are even today mostly the descendants of the Anatolian Farmers who spread agriculture into Europe, with little ancestry from the peoples who have invaded Europe since then. A relic of Old Europe in a lot of ways.
Thank you for answering.