Guest guest Posted May 23, 2001 Report Share Posted May 23, 2001 ro11 [sMTP:ro11] skrev 23. mai 2001 01:49: > Lars, if you have time, could you expand on that a little? How do > genes indicate geographical location? Is this inferred from relations > to neighbouring groups? Since I gleaned some of the info from recent television program on the Sami, I shall have to rely on my memory. Basically, this is the story. The Sami speak a Finno-Ugric language, and Finno-Ugric languages (=Uralic languages) are assumed to have originated in the Northern Urals (there seems to be wide agreement about this among Finno-Ugric linguists.) Now, the Sami are genetically distinct from other peoples geographically close to them. It is therefore assumed that they descend from early hunters that trekked towards the North as the ice receded at the end of the last ice age. According to the TV program I saw, scholars assume two routes: one group trekking along the West Coast of Norway, the other group trekking along the Baltic. These two groups were separated by the ice cap for several thousand years until they met in Northern Norway (Finmark) when the ice finally disappeared in most places. They are different from others both with respect to certain bodily characteristics and blood types. They are therefore assumed to have developed in isolation for several thousand years. Linguists then assume that they came into contact with Finno-Ugric speaking peoples and simply adopted an early form of Finno-Ugric, perhaps some 4,000 years ago. This seems to be the theory that best accounts for the genetic and linguistic data. If the Sami had arrived from the Urals, they would have been genetically more similar to the Finns, I assume. But on the other hand, I believe the Finns are also genetically similar to other Scandinavians, at least in the South. I'll leave it to Finnish members of the list to expatiate on this. Best regards, Lars Martin Dr. art. Lars Martin Fosse Haugerudvn. 76, Leil. 114, 0674 Oslo Norway Phone: +47 22 32 12 19 Mobile phone: +47 90 91 91 45 Fax 1: +47 22 32 12 19 Fax 2: +47 85 02 12 50 (InFax) Email: lmfosse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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