Which groups are the best physical representation of the Ancient Israelites?

[Sikeliot]

This is a variation of a thread already present, but I am feeling like talking about the Israelites today so here we go.

I only listed groups on here who have a significant part of West and Southwest Asian genes.

[Vesuvian Sky]

I think the proto-Semitic community was just south of the Caucuses plus in and around Mesopotamia.

Ergo 'West Asian' genes were at least 50-60% but perhaps it was 50 'West Asian" 50 SW Asian.

The implications of Proto-Afro-Asiatic groups also have to be considered here.

But to answer the question poll wise, I'd go with Assyrians.

[Sikeliot]

I think the proto-Semitic community was just south of the Caucuses plus in and around Mesopotamia.

Ergo 'West Asian' genes were at least 50-60% but perhaps it was 50 'West Asian" 50 SW Asian.

The implications of Proto-Afro-Asiatic groups also have to be considered here.

So you would think that the Israelites would have been mostly divided between Caucasus type ancestry and Arabian?
There is also a Mediterranean component in modern Levantines that is shared with all Southern Europeans, and North Africans (what Dodecad calls "Mediterranean").

[Vesuvian Sky]

So you would think that the Israelites would have been mostly divided between Caucasus type ancestry and Arabian?
There is also a Mediterranean component in modern Levantines that is shared with all Southern Europeans, and North Africans (what Dodecad calls "Mediterranean").

This is something I've been toying around with conceptually but I think the Med. component was actually reduced by incoming proto-Afro-Asiatics from the aforementioned area though the Proto-Afro-Asiatic Uhrmeit may have been wider.

[Smeagol]

Sephardic Jews.

[Sikeliot]

It may just be me, but the Sephardis I have seen are quite close looking to Southeast Europeans and aren't stunningly Middle Eastern looking.

[Newsboy]

Probably Sephardic Jews out of those choices. They are Med looking and probably one of the least mixed Jews. The Jews obviously originated in Israel, hence Israelites. The Israelites are the Westernmost Levantines. They are still coastal Levantines so they won't look 'Arabian'.

[Ibericus]

Probably Samaritan Jews

[Vesuvian Sky]

It may just be me, but the Sephardis I have seen are quite close looking to Southeast Europeans and aren't stunningly Middle Eastern looking.

From what I've been able to gather from looking at various Semetic speaking people's DNA, it seems the Assyrians would fit the bill IMO as most unmixed.

I think Sepharic Jews may have picked up a significant amount of s. Euro genes. There are certainly differences to their components when compared to Mizrahi.

[Sikeliot]

When I see a lot of Lebanese people, especially older ones, I see a look that I could easily picture as Israelite. Like middle aged to old Lebanese men I can picture as an ancient Jewish rabbi or something.