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No. It shows that the four individuals sequenced from this time (~3000 to 4000 years ago) who died in Ireland had significant middle eastern ancestry. It is not
by danieltillett 11y ago
No. It shows that the four individuals sequenced from this time (~3000 to 4000 years ago) who died in Ireland had significant middle eastern ancestry. It is not a sampling of the Irish population at the time, nor even a likely representivive sampling of the ancestors of the modern Irish population. All it tells us for certain is that some of the people living in Ireland at the time had middle eastern ancestors.
- joeyo 11y agoThat's overly dismissive. The sampled individuals had several crucial genes: the C282Y hemochromatosis mutation, a Y chromosome haplotype which is common among modern Irish, and a gene for lactase persistence, all of which strongly suggest genetic continuity with the modern Irish.
- danieltillett 11y agoAll these genes are found elsewhere in Europe too. You really can’t read that much into such analysis because of this - genes get around. The most interesting thing about this study is that that there were individuals with a high level of middle eastern ancestry in Ireland at the time. This is not too unexpected given that the Phoenicians were tin trading with Cornwall around this time so of course they could have been trading with the Irish as well. One of the things we have found in recent times is the bronze age trade networks were more extensive and widespread than might be expected.