Using DNA to find Goths

[authurn2002]

--- In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, "akoddsson" <konrad_oddsson at ...> wrote:

> Physical remain would indeed be a good place to start, at least if 
> they can be ascertained to be Gothic as opposed to mixed-population 
> remains. I think that the likly point of such a study would be to 
> establish a sample that would be likely characteristic of Gothic DNA 
> as opposed a general sample of european DNA. That would defeat the 
> purpose, I think, and probably be very expensive. A project like the 
> one discussed would need clearly defined purposes and parameters, as 
> well as a budget. Isolating the characteristic DNA features of folk 
> that are likely aboriginal to Gutland is much more cost-effective, 
> as well as likely to produce a comparative sample with which other 
> DNA could be compared with regards to the features which the experts 
> conclude to be likely hallmarks of the original Gothic population.
> 
> Regards,
> Konrad


Hi Konrad,

I am new to this list but, having heard about this particular thread,
I discussed this matter with Dr Mark Thomas of University College
London before posting.

Firstly, DNA from old bones is so problematic it is not worth the
effort when there would always be uncertainty that they were the old
bones of an ancient Goth anyway. One has to look at the modern day
population.

As you say, the only place this can be done is Gotland.

Zerjal et al compared yDNA from 8 locations in the Baltic and found
that modern day Gotlandic yDNA has its origins in the west with a
sharp divide between Gotland and the Saami, Finns and Balts. It's
closest pairing is with northern Swedes.

It may be possible through finer scaling and more diverse sampling in
Sweden and Gotland to find a marker which is more distinctly
'Gotlandic' but, finding it elsewhere in europe is unlikely. By the
time the Goths got to the Black Sea it would already be highly
admixed. Clusters of 'Goths' are unlikely to exist anymore and
instances are likely to be so sporadic, one would never find them. So
it would be a lot of work based on a very big 'if'.

The theory is OK if a sizable portion of the migrating people stay in
each location where they are thought to have stopped and only a
portion moved further on. But, if migrations worked like that we'd
have much more Gothic archaeology showing different patterns of
development over much longer periods of time in each area.

cheers

authurn
a resident of elmet





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