{PRIVATE} re: [Y-Indology] Indian Express Article today

[Guest guest]

Madhav,

 

Privately (in view of heated web discussions):

We discussed similar materials during our Round Table last weekend.

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~sanskrit/RoundTableSchedule.html (are you

interested next year?)

But we had better genetic materials (P. Francalacci, Cavalli-Sforza's

former student). The Bamshad story is based only on E. Andhra and on only

some 20 markers (we had 100). The whole field is in flux, and more data

come out by the month. I will keep a close tab on it and let you know.

 

My own summary:

 

* female only mtDNA shows early settlement of India (starting c. 50,000

BCE), but even then in several waves. (Typical Indian: M group, some 60%;

later West Asian ones only some 25%). See general maps in L.L.

Cavalli-Sforza 1994

 

* The nowadays more discussed male Y-chromosome (NRY) is perhaps more

interesting in any "Aryan" scenario: it, too, shows several waves:

 

- early one from Africa/Near East via India to Japan (No. IV)

- common and more typical South Asian ones (no. VI, VII), also moving

further eastwards

- later one (V) from E.Europe/C.Asia to India

 

But all of this is preliminary. More details on our website soon. Or by

photocopy if you wish.

I also have some pdf files which I could send by email if you have a quick

connection.

 

A (limited) IE immigration looks likely now.

 

Bets wishes, Michael

========================================================

Michael Witzel

Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University

2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA

 

ph. 1- 617-496 2990 (also messages)

home page: http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm

 

Elect. Journ. of Vedic Studies: http://nautilus.shore.net/~india/ejvs/