Prehistoric Swedes genetically most similar to modern Poles

[Pallantides]

A paper (http://www.sciencemag.org/content/336/6080/466.abstract) published in Science today shows that three, 5,000-year-old Neolithic hunter gatherer individuals from Gotland - tested with around 10,000 genome-wide SNPs - shared most alleles with modern Polish individuals. On the other hand, a Neolithic farmer from southwestern Sweden, from about the same period, showed greatest affinity to modern Cypriots and Greeks. However, the farmer was also more similar to modern Poles than to modern Swedes. The figure below illustrates this very clearly.
http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/2241/skoalleles.png

Indeed, if we look at the STRUCTURE analysis, it shows that the farmer was genetically a lot like a modern Sardinian, or Oetzi the Iceman (see here (http://eurogenes.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/otzi-iceman-more-middle-eastern-than.html)), albeit with more North European admixture.
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/9971/skoadmix.jpg

So I think it's pretty clear we're dealing here with an individual of mostly deep East Mediterranean origin, who's ancestors made their way from West Asia to Europe via maritime routes (settling islands like Sardinia in the process), and then to Scandinavia via Western and Central Europe. They probably picked up their minority, although substantial, Northern European admixture in what is now Germany or Scandinavia. Of course, the other option is that the Mediterranean farmers went straight to Scandinavia by boat.

The question Swedes will be asking is, why are Poles from across the Baltic more similar to both their prehistoric hunter gatherers and farmers than they are? Firstly, it's important to realize that the differences aren't that great. Note, for instance, that Swedes are the second most similar population to the ancient hunter gatherers after Poles (see here (http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5761/skotables10.png)). However, clearly, the data suggests that there had to be other population movements into Scandinavia after the late Neolithic. These also affected Poland, but to a lesser degree.

No one yet knows exactly what these were, but if I had to take a guess, I'd say the Bell Beaker folk of the Copper Age represented one of the major waves (see figure below and here (http://www.fondationlatsis.org/plpdf/Prix_Latsis/UNIGE_2008.pdf)). Also, another factor might be that the hunter gatherers tested by Skoglund et al. belonged to the Pitted Ware culture, which arrived in Scandinavia from the Eastern Baltic.
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5666/bbeaker.png

Anyway, on a personal level, I'm absolutely delighted with the results from this study. The reason is that it correlates very closely with the experiments I've been running with ADMIXTURE, aimed at untangling the history of the peopling of Europe using modern genomes. Note, for instance, the close correlation between the STRUCTURE plot above, and the results from my Hunter Gatherer vs. Farmer analysis (see here (http://bga101.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/eurogenes-hunter-gatherer-vs-farmer.html)). All you have to do, is to add up the blue and purple components from the STRUCTURE graph, and you'll basically get my "Baltic hunter gatherer" cluster. Also, the orange component is obviously very similar to my "Mediterranean farmer" cluster.

Obviously, if Skoglund et al. had more prehistoric samples, then these would create their own clusters. However, these clusters would be closely related to the clusters formed by modern samples. We know this by looking at the PCA results from the study, like below.
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/3460/skopca.png

So the fact that the three hunter gatherers mostly fall into the North European/Finnish clusters (and thus show a high correlation with my Baltic hunter gatherer cluster) and the farmer mostly into the Sardinian cluster (thus showing a high correlation with my Mediterranean cluster) aren't simply artifacts of poor sampling and methodology.

On a related note, a version of my Hunter Gatherer vs. Farmer test will be available at Gedmatch (http://gedmatch.com/) shortly. So please check it out when it's ready, which should be soon.

Reference...

Skoglund et al., Origins and Genetic Legacy of Neolithic Farmers and Hunter-Gatherers in Europe (http://www.sciencemag.org/content/336/6080/466.abstract), Science 27 April 2012: Vol. 336 no. 6080 pp. 466-469 DOI: 10.1126/science.1216304



http://polishgenes.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/prehistoric-scandinavians-genetically.html

[arcticwolf]

Are you saying I'm more Swedish than Swedes? :D

[Sikeliot]

Are Swedes genetically closer to Poles than Norwegians are?

[Loki]

Polako proves himself right after all these years ... this time with concrete genetic backup. A visionary, that man was/is. :)

[~Elizabeth~]

It's not a surprise to me.

[The Exiled King]

Makes sense because they were a Baltic people ie. they had a majority of Baltic Hunter Gatherer genes before the major influx of Mediterranean genes came in.

[Pallantides]

Makes sense because they were a Baltic people ie. they had a majority of Baltic Hunter Gatherer genes before the major influx of Mediterranean genes came in.


Swedes = wogified Balts:D

[Pallantides]

From the paper:

We found that compared to a worldwide set of 1,638 individuals (21-23), all four Neolithic individuals clustered within European variation (Fig. S5). However, when focusing the analysis on 505 individuals of European and Levantine descent, the three Neolithic hunter gatherers appeared largely outside the distribution of the modern sample, but in the vicinity of Finnish and northern European individuals (Fig. 1A). In contrast, the Neolithic farmer clustered with southern Europeans, but was differentiated from Levantine individuals. This general pattern persisted for a geographically broader reference data set of 1,466 extant individuals of European ancestry (22, 24) (Fig. 1B), for a much larger number of markers from 241 individuals in the 1000 genomes project (25) (Fig. 1C), and using model-based clustering (26, 27) (Fig. 1D). Although all Neolithic individuals were excavated in Sweden, neither the Neolithic farmer nor the Neolithic hunter-gatherers appeared to cluster specifically within Swedish variation, a pattern that remained also for a larger sample of 1,525 individuals from across Sweden (28) (Fig. S9, Fig.S21-22).

In our genomic analyses, the Scandinavian Neolithic hunter-gatherers (PWC) have a genetic profile that is not fully represented by any sampled contemporary population (Fig. 1), and may thus constitute a gene pool that is no longer intact or that no longer exists. While the origin of the Neolithic hunter-gatherers is contentious, the similar mtDNA haplogroup composition of PWC individuals (8) (Table 1) and Mesolithic- and Paleolithic individuals (7, 29) indicate some continuity with earlier European populations, but resolving this hypothesis will require pre-Neolithic genomic data.

[Lábaru]

xDWe, the North Spanish , always conquistando. Alpha blood.
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5666/bbeaker.png

[Jaska]

Are Swedes genetically closer to Poles than Norwegians are?
Yes. FST-distances from Heath et al. 2008:
Sweden - Poland: 23
Norway - Poland: 34
Sweden - Norway: 10

They are all practically the same circum-Baltic population! ;) Compare the distance within Finns (Salmela et al. 2011):
South Ostrobothnia - Kainuu: 65

But then:
West Finns - Sweden: 30
West Finns - Russia: 34
Sweden - Russia: 41

East Finns - West Finns: 30
East Finns - Sweden: 72
East Finns - Russia: 69

From Nelis et al. 2009:
Sweden - Lithuania: 40
Sweden - Latvia: 50

So I must develop further this Pallantidesism:
"Swedes = wogified Poles"

[The Exiled King]

I have seen a lot of tan Swedish people before lol! I'm guessing this may be from their neolithic Mediterranean admixture. I have seen a lot of Swedish people that look Ukrainian too.

[Pallantides]

A reconstruction of the oldest human remains found in Scania, South Sweden(ca. 9000 years old):
http://i.imgur.com/ibNQz.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GKOjF.jpg

[The Exiled King]

A reconstruction of the oldest human remains found in Scania, South Sweden(ca. 9000 years old):
http://i.imgur.com/ibNQz.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GKOjF.jpg

Uber Cromagnid looking!!!

[xajapa]

He sort of looks like David Bowie, with long hair.

[Radogost]

This is highly interesting.

[Lábaru]

A reconstruction of the oldest human remains found in Scania, South Sweden(ca. 9000 years old):
http://i.imgur.com/ibNQz.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GKOjF.jpg

He looks partially Asian.

[Radogost]

He looks partially Asian.

I think he look similar to East-Baltid phenotype.

[The Journeyman]

Rob Darken will be very pleased.

[Pallantides]

He looks partially Asian.

That's the look of Mesolithic Europeans, Neolithic farmers moved in and made some people less "chinky" I suppose, though personally I don't find this one very Asian looking at all, just an archaic Cro-Magnid:coffee:


Anyway I think it's a she not a he:D

[Pallantides]

Ajv70 and Ajv52 = Hunter & Gatherers
Gok4 = Farmer
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcZBRHZBE8A/T5wOMukh-oI/AAAAAAAAE0E/eYwcTQgdiKs/s1600/_12.png

[The Exiled King]

I imagine the Pre-Historic Swedes were in Haplogroup I1 or just I in general ie. the Cro-Magnon peoples. The influx of the Neolithic Farmer peoples with their Haplogroups probably slightly made them more Mediterranean influenced.

[Pallantides]

From Fennoscandia Biographic project:
This is the population average chunkcounts vs the ancient gotlander:

X-asis:

Saami 71,32
Norw 69,53
Swe 68,20
Est 67,88
Lith 66,88
Belo 66,81
Finns 66,39

Y-axis:

Saami 48,35
Norw 47,73
Swe 46,43
Est 48,6
Lith 45,67
Belo 46,39
Finns 45,43

As what the results appears to show vs the recent ADMIXTURE analysis of the ancient gotlanders is that the ancient Gotlanders on population average best match the Saami.

However on individual basis the first Saami doesnt hit in before 11th place. My investigation of the top matches stated origins appears so far to point to central and northern Sweden, and possibly Finnish western coast and Bothnia. It would make sense geographically as the remains are from Gotland.

As I interpret it because the average is lower at population level for Scandianvians and Finns suggest that more recent migration have replaced their genetic profile, but not everywhere.

Saami samples were not included in the original study.

[Loki]

Comes in perfectly with Wolfram's work on the origins of the Goths ... the Balthi and Amali .. coming from Gothiscandza ...

[Beethoven]

Sweden was homeland of slavic people before? Thats shocking

[Pallantides]

http://fennoscandia.blogspot.no/2012/06/ancient-gotlanders-in-finestructure.html

DISCUSSION:

The first analysis appears to be in accordance with ADMIXTURE and is after the book prescribed by the authors of Finestructure. Finns are the closest to the ancient Gotlanders when assuming many genetic elements,

However if assuming only one genetic element the result is in accordance with Chromopainter raw output data for ChunkCounts and ChunkLenght that says that on population average Saamis are the closest to the ancient Gotlanders, then Scandinavians, then Lithuanians and finally Finns.

In my earlier analysis below using only Chromopainter without the help of Finestructure the population assigment for individuals have been correct for most individuals and this analysis appears to show correct and known relationships between the populations in question when assuming c-factor of 1. If assuming a c-factor of 0 the analysis would probably converge more with the ADMIXTURE analysis.

It seems therefor to me that the clustering of Finns close to the Saami maybe be due to more recent connections like migration of Finns to Saami. This because the connection to the ancient Gotlander appears more distant for Finns than for Saami.

The connection of the ancient Gotlander to the Scandinavians seems to be direct. It doesnt seem to have gone through the North-Saamis or Finns as they look like today to Scandinavians. However we know little about the genetics of the South-Saamis. The individuals of partly South-Saami ancestry that show up in the MDS-plots have not maanged to differentiate themself enough in this analysis from Scandinavians.

[The Ripper]

IN YOUR FACE. :D

[Loki]

IN YOUR FACE. :D

yeah, and you finns are asians ;)

[The Exiled King]

Sweden was homeland of slavic people before? Thats shocking

It wasn't really. But there was a Balto-Germanic-Slavic commonality at this time. The prehistoric Swedes were related very closely to Poles, as were other developing ethnic groups at that time ie. Germans, Danes, and Norwegians. This was before the Mediterranean genes 'intruded' their way into Scandinavia.

[Mordid]

Swedes are the niggers of Europe? I thought Irish were the niggers of Europe

[The Exiled King]

Comes in perfectly with Wolfram's work on the origins of the Goths ... the Balthi and Amali .. coming from Gothiscandza ...

It does fit perfectly! The location of Gothiscandza after the Goths left Gotland would have been the area around modern day Danzing/Gdansk in Poland.

This actually fits really well with the known expanse of Haplogroup I1, as you can see in the picture in my signature. There is a large expanse of Haplogroup I1 people located right underneath Sweden in present day Northern Poland which incorporates the areas of Danzig/Gdansk.

[Mordid]

what about my homeland, silesia? germanic tribes made it all the way from southern sweden to silesia, but they went back to their homeland because they were told to go back to their homeland by Slavic tribes. i'm sure they left their genes in silesia

[Pallantides]

It's probably true that the Sami are the most mesolithic among modern Scandinavians, seeing as they match best with the Gotland Hunter & Gatherers and have almost no Mediterranean or Near Eastern influence.

[The Exiled King]

It's probably true that the Sami are the most mesolithic among modern Scandinavians, seeing as they match best with the Gotland Hunter & Gatherers and have almost no Mediterranean or Near Eastern influence.

Not to mention their ancient connection with mtDNA Haplogroup U5 and the Berbers.

[The Exiled King]

what about my homeland, silesia? germanic tribes made it all the way from southern sweden to silesia, but they went back to their homeland because they were told to go back to their homeland by Slavic tribes. i'm sure they left their genes in silesia

There is most definitely Germanic admixture. There is no question about it. On top of ancient Slavs, Baltic tribes, and the Germanics having an ancient commonality, Poland had a lot of East Germanic tribe influences and not to mention West Germanic and North Germanic influences as well. This also goes vice-versa with the Slavic and Polish influences on other surrounding ethnic groups ie. Germans, Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians.

[The Exiled King]

At the end of the day most of the East Germanic tribes including the Goths ended up in Italy and Spain! :cool:

[Beethoven]

what about my homeland, silesia? germanic tribes made it all the way from southern sweden to silesia, but they went back to their homeland because they were told to go back to their homeland by Slavic tribes. i'm sure they left their genes in silesia
according wiki there is bigger percent of R1A genes then in Russia

[rashka]

Does anyone know what the term VISIgoth means?

For some reason the term VISI means something interesting in slavic languages (something like upper, above or more) so I would like to know what it means in the Germanic world.

[Furnace]

Does anyone know what the term VISIgoth means?

For some reason the term VISI means something interesting in slavic languages (something like upper, above or more) so I would like to know what it means in the Germanic world.

I think it means western goths, or the western branch of the gothic empire. You also have a eastern branch, namely Ostrogoths (eastern goths) :p.

[Lábaru]

Yes, Visi=Western.

[PeacefulCaribbeanDutch]

the point of htis article is that the people who lived there are no longer there, the Swedish population is a more recent one, so they are not supposed to be related to polish really, at least not fully

or am I mistaken

[rashka]

I think it means western goths, or the western branch of the gothic empire. You also have a eastern branch, namely Ostrogoths (eastern goths) :p.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visigoths#Etymology_of_Tervingi_and_Vesi.2FVisigot hi

The Visigoths are called Wesi or Wisi by Trebellius Pollio, Claudian, and Sidonius Apollinaris. The word is Gothic for "good", implying the "good or worthy people",

The name Visigothi is an invention of Cassiodorus, who combined Visi and Gothi under the misapprehension that it meant "west Goths".