Amerindian DNA in Iceland

[StonyArabia]

Although most mtDNA lineages observed in contemporary Icelanders can be traced to neighboring populations in the British Isles and Scandinavia, one may have a more distant origin. This lineage belongs to haplogroup C1, one of a handful that was involved in the settlement of the Americas around 14,000 years ago. Contrary to an initial assumption that this lineage was a recent arrival, preliminary genealogical analyses revealed that the C1 lineage was present in the Icelandic mtDNA pool at least 300 years ago. This raised the intriguing possibility that the Icelandic C1 lineage could be traced to Viking voyages to the Americas that commenced in the 10th century. In an attempt to shed further light on the entry date of the C1 lineage into the Icelandic mtDNA pool and its geographical origin, we used the deCODE Genetics genealogical database to identify additional matrilineal ancestors that carry the C1 lineage and then sequenced the complete mtDNA genome of 11 contemporary C1 carriers from four different matrilines. Our results indicate a latest possible arrival date in Iceland of just prior to 1700 and a likely arrival date centuries earlier. Most surprisingly, we demonstrate that the Icelandic C1 lineage does not belong to any of the four known Native American (C1b, C1c, and C1d) or Asian (C1a) subclades of haplogroup C1. Rather, it is presently the only known member of a new subclade, C1e. While a Native American origin seems most likely for C1e, an Asian or European origin cannot be ruled out.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.21419/abstract

Geneticists have discovered 80 living Icelanders with mitochondrial-DNA (a type of DNA passed from mother to child) signatures similar to Native American Indians. The evidence suggests that this DNA entered the Icelandic bloodlines around AD 1000, which means that early Viking explorers and settlers to the New World may have brought at least one Indian woman back to Iceland with them. There are no suggestions in the in historical records, such as the Icelandic sagas, that women were brought back to Iceland—this may indicate that there were many more voyages to Vinland and other points west than were recorded, and much more contact between Vikings and Skraelings (what the Norsemen called the Amerindians) than previously suggested.

[Linebacker]

How the hell did it get there

[Furnace]

Inuits maybe?

[StonyArabia]

How the hell did it get there

It can come from various sources, or from Greenland, which is still part of Denmark. It also can come from the Canadian eastern colonies, they have found Viking remains in New Foundland and even in Baffin Island. Let's not forget Iceland is closer to North America than it's to Europe.

[Furnace]

It can come from various sources, or from Greenland, which is still part of Denmark. It also can come from the Canadian eastern colonies, they have found Viking remains in New Foundland and even in Baffin Island. Let's not forget Iceland is closer to North America than it's to Europe.

If you count Greenland as America maybe, but Iceland is quite close to Europe via the British Isles.

[Ivan Kramskoï]

It could explain Bjork look ...

[Furnace]

It could explain Bjork look ...

Björk is part Inuit.

[Mazik]

Some people with mtDNA C4 has been found in Sweden, I made a thread about it a year ago:

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?114921-mtDNA-C4a1c-found-in-central-Sweden

[StonyArabia]

If you count Greenland as America maybe, but Iceland is quite close to Europe via the British Isles.

I see greenland is part of America yes. Well Iceland is like in between. Anyways here recent findings show the Viking presence in Northern most part of Canada Baffin Island, it does not sound strange that some Icelanders would have Amerindian DNA

"Evidence of Viking/Norse metalworking in Arctic Canada
A small stone container found by archaeologists a half-century ago has now been recognized as further evidence of a Viking or Medieval Norse presence in Arctic Canada during the centuries around 1000 A.D.
Researchers reporting in the journal Geoarchaeology discovered that the interior of the container, which was found at an archaeological site on southern Baffin Island, contains fragments of bronze as well as small spherules of glass that form when rock is heated to high temperatures. The object is a crucible for melting bronze, likely in order to cast it into small tools or ornaments. Indigenous peoples of northern North America did not practice high-temperature metalworking.
The Norse would likely have travelled to the area to obtain furs and walrus ivory. "The crucible adds an intriguing new element to this emerging chapter in the early history of northern Canada," said lead author Dr. Patricia Sutherland, who has recovered other specimens in Arctic Canada that resemble those used by Europeans of the Viking and Medieval periods. "It may be the earliest evidence of high-temperature nonferrous metalworking in North America to the north of what is now Mexico.""

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-12/w-eov121514.php

[Harkonnen]

There was plenty of C, both in mesolithic Karelia and Bronze Age Kola

http://anthropogenesis.kinshipstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/YuzhnyiOleniiOstrov-Table.jpg

The Kola C was C1f though.

[Ivan Kramskoï]

Björk is part Inuit.
I did not know.
Nevertheless it makes sense ^^

[Elsa]

Björk is part Inuit.

Did she really say that? I thought it was just speculation.

[Furnace]

Did she really say that? I thought it was just speculation.

Hmmm, I was quite sure she had it, she looks like that at least.. but you might be right, it seems like just speculation.


But her father has a very similar eye shape:
http://www.stjornlagarad.is/other_files/stjornlagathing/img/thingfulltruar/7825.jpg

[Harkonnen]

There was plenty of C, both in mesolithic Karelia and Bronze Age Kola

http://anthropogenesis.kinshipstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/YuzhnyiOleniiOstrov-Table.jpg

The Kola C was C1f though.

Speaking of the Bolshoy Olenii Ostrov site, back in the day @ABF, everybody's favorite guy Hweinlant made this very interesting post http://www.forumbiodiversity.com/showthread.php/38789-Death-of-a-Yukaghir on the subject of the Bolshoy folk. They belonged to a very interesting Ymyakhtakh culture originating from Northern Siberia, and spanning to all the farflung reaches of the Arctic. All the way to Northern Scandinavia even.

[Artek]

Speaking of the Bolshoy Olenii Ostrov site, back in the day @ABF, everybody's favorite guy Hweinlant made this very interesting post http://www.forumbiodiversity.com/showthread.php/38789-Death-of-a-Yukaghir on the subject of the Bolshoy folk. They belonged to a very interesting Ymyakhtakh culture originating from Northern Siberia, and spanning to all the farflung reaches of the Arctic. All the way to Northern Scandinavia even.
So it seems that case of any, even exotic (on a first glance) mtDNA is more complicated. And this C1 most likely got to Iceland with usual Norse settlers.

[Unome]

Vikings probably raided a few Amerindian villages thousands of years ago and brought back some Inuit slaves.

[Harkonnen]

So it seems that case of any, even exotic (on a first glance) mtDNA is more complicated. And this C1 most likely got to Iceland with usual Norse settlers.

Problem here is that this C1 clade in Iceland looks to be very distinct, and is not found neither in America, East Eurasia, nor in Ancient sites. So you can't really say for sure.

By the way mtDNA C is also present both in neolithic and Bronge Age Ukraine (Kurgans), so perhaps Indoeuropeans brought it to Iceland :D

[Artek]

Problem here in that this C1 clade in Iceland looks to be very distinct, and is not found neither in America, East Eurasia, nor in Ancient sites. So you can't really say for sure.
Well, that still makes the whole case complicated, as I stated :D. But thanks for noticing. I haven't read carefully.

By the way mtDNA C is also present both in neolithic and Bronge Age Ukraine (Kurgans), so perhaps Indoeuropeans brought it to Iceland :D
Ironically, it's possible. I've read some time ago about that particular cases, still it's not clear how it got to the mtdna pool. There had to be a contacts between Indo-Euopeans and folk from that areas, since one sample from Andronovo has y-dna C and that's not a C-V20 :)

[StonyArabia]

I believe this mtDNA is rather Amerindian, because this seems to be the case. Iceland is afterall next door to Greenland and the Americas.

http://www.strangehistory.net/2011/11/20/american-indian-settlers-in-iceland/

[FeederOfRavens]

I seriously doubt the Norse brought any Skraelingjar to Iceland. They didn't even have relations with the Dorset or Thule peoples in Greenland beyond trade.

[StonyArabia]

I seriously doubt the Norse brought any Skraelingjar to Iceland. They didn't even have relations with the Dorset or Thule peoples in Greenland beyond trade.

Well you never know it probably happened to an extent when two populations meet they often intermingle to an extent, even if it's not so extensive and even when they are hostile to each other, this just how humanity works.

[Nicholas-Mountblack]

Vikings first came to America this is the prove.

[coolstorybro]

Vikings assimilated and interbred with every population they encountered. There is no reason to think they wouldn't have done so with Amerindians too.