A Genetic Atlas of Human Admixture History

2014/02/14 by Garrett Hellenthal, George Busby, Gavin Band +4 · 926 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Ancient history #Archaeology #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Atlas (anatomy) #Bantu languages #Biology #Colonialism #Demographic history #Demography #Empire #Evolutionary biology #Forensic and Genetic Research #Gene #Genealogy #Genetic data #Genetic variation #Genetics #Geography #History #Population #Race, Genetics, and Society #Sociology

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1243518

published in Science 343(6172), 747-751 (American Association for the Advancement of Science)

openalex publication_date 2014/02/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

Modern genetic data combined with appropriate statistical methods have the potential to contribute substantially to our understanding of human history. We have developed an approach that exploits the genomic structure of admixed populations to date and characterize historical mixture events at fine scales. We used this to produce an atlas of worldwide human admixture history, constructed by using genetic data alone and encompassing over 100 events occurring over the past 4000 years. We identified events whose dates and participants suggest they describe genetic impacts of the Mongol empire, Arab slave trade, Bantu expansion, first millennium CE migrations in Eastern Europe, and European colonialism, as well as unrecorded events, revealing admixture to be an almost universal force shaping human populations.

Citations

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