What if the analysis were to be done based on where the people came from rather than modern geographical borders? I felt it a bit odd that the analysis was don

What if the analysis were to be done based on where the people came from rather than modern geographical borders? I felt it a bit odd that the analysis was done by overlaying modern geographic boundaries on historical technology, considering how many modern countries owe their technological progress to other countries in older times. (e.g. America <- Britain/France/Spain <- Europe <- Middle East + Asia + Rome <- Ancient Greece). I think its less about who had what technology when, more about who inherited that technology.