10-01-2023, 08:05 PM
from recent paper
Deciphering the West Eurasian Genetic Footprints in Ancient South India
by Bhavna Ahlawat 1,2,†ORCID,Lomous Kumar 2,3,†,Parayil John Cherian 4,5,Jagmahender Singh Sehrawat 1ORCID,Niraj Rai 2,* and Kumarasamy Thangaraj 3,6,*
Abstract
Since 2006, Pattanam coastal village of the Ernakulam District in Kerala, India, has witnessed multi-disciplinary archaeological investigations in collaboration with leading research institutions across the world. The results confirm that the Pattanam site could be an integral part of the lost ancient port of Muziris, which, as per the material evidence from Pattanam and its contemporary sites, played an important role in the transoceanic exchanges between 100 BCE (Before Common Era) and 300 CE (Common Era). So far, the material evidence with direct provenance to the maritime exchanges related to ancient cultures of the Mediterranean, West Asian, Red Sea, African, and Asian regions have been identified at Pattanam. However, the genetic evidence supporting the impact of multiple cultures or their admixing is still missing for this important archaeological site of South India. Hence, in the current study, we tried to infer the genetic composition of the skeletal remains excavated from the site in a broader context of South Asian and worldwide maternal affinity. We applied the MassArray-based genotyping approach of mitochondrial makers and observed that ancient samples of Pattanam represent a mixed maternal ancestry pattern of both the West Eurasian ancestry and the South Asian ancestry. We observed a high frequency of West Eurasian haplogroups (T, JT, and HV) and South Asian-specific mitochondrial haplogroups (M2a, M3a, R5, and M6). The findings are consistent with the previously published and ongoing archaeological excavations, in which material remains from over three dozen of sites across the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Mediterranean littoral regions have been unearthed. This study confirms that people belonging to multiple cultural and linguistic backgrounds have migrated, probably settled, and eventually died on the South-western coast of India.
shows the samples from 2000-2200 BP have West Eurasian-specific mtDNA haplogroups
We have successfully generated good-quality genotype data from a total of 12 Pattanam ancient bone remains using the MassArray-based genotyping approach. After a careful comparison of mutations observed in the Pattanam samples and Phylotree, we determined the mitochondrial haplogroups of all 12 samples. We found that the mitochondrial haplogroup distribution of the Pattanam samples was highly heterogenous with the presence of both South Asian and West Eurasian-specific mtDNA haplogroups among all Pattanam samples. The haplogroups of the samples PT3, PT6, and PT8 were found to be M2a1a3, M6, and M3a1, respectively, which are South Asian mitochondrial haplogroups. In addition to this, haplogroups of samples PT10 and PT13 are South Asian-specific U1 and R5, respectively (Table 1). It is interesting to note that the mtDNA haplogroup U1 is present with low frequency in both Europe and India (mainly Kerala).
Many samples belonged to West Eurasian mitochondrial haplogroups whose prevalence in modern day South Asian populations is very low. Among these West Eurasian haplogroups, HV and subgroup HV4b were observed in samples PT1 and PT4, respectively. Haplogroup T and its subclade T1a9 were found in samples PT9 and PT2, respectively, while mtDNA haplogroup JT was present in sample PT3. The haplogroup of sample PT11 was uncharacterized because of the lack of resolution of genotyped mutation in this sample (Table 1).
Among the observed West Eurasian mtDNA haplogroups, haplogroup HV4b is mainly present in west Asia and Europe and absent in India [14]. Haplogroup T1a9 is present in Anatolia and Italy and is related with migration from near east to Europe [15]. Further, we made a comparison of the haplogroup prevalence of ancient Pattanam samples with the available frequency in worldwide populations. We are showing the frequency distribution of some of the major West Eurasian haplogroups viz, HV, T1a and JT on the map. Frequency of haplogroup HV is with its highest prevalence in the Caucasus and Middle East and Southern Europe (Figure 2) [13]. Its frequency is highest in Iraq (0.12) in the Middle East, followed by Armenia (0.07) and Azerbaijan (0.06) in the Caucasus [13]. Haplogroup T1a has the highest frequency in Balkan countries, Caucasus, and the Middle East and with lesser frequency in most of Europe (Figure 3 [17]. Its highest frequency is in Romania (0.08), Tunisia (0.07), and Iran (0.06). Haplogroup JT has the highest occurrence in Near East (0.45), the Alps (0.33), and Georgia (0.25) and is also prevalent in most of Europe (Figure 4 ) [13].
Among the South Asian haplogroups found in the Pattanam samples, M2a1 is present in most of the Indo-European and Dravidian tribes with coalescent ages of 7–9 KYA [18]. Haplogroup M3a1 is also mainly Indian-specific. It was mainly found among Indo–European and Dravidian tribes of North, Central, and South India [19]. It was also observed in the Kashmir region of North India [20]. Haplogroups M6 and R5 have widespread occurrences in India [19]. Mitochondrial haplogroup M6 is highly prevalent in Indus valley and Eastern coastal region of India towards the Bay of Bengal. Haplogroup R5 is the most ancient and second frequent sub-haplogroup of R. This haplogroup is most frequent among Indian caste groups compared to tribes and absent among Austroasiatic speakers.
The presence of haplogroups HV, T1a9, JT, HV4b, T, and U1 strongly supports the presence of West Eurasian and European ancestry, whereas M2a1a3, M6, M3a1, and R5 haplogroups support the South Asian ancestry. Some of these West Eurasian mtDNA haplogroups such as T1a9 and HV4b have been found exclusively in European and West Asian populations and are absent in Indian populations. The presence of such a diverse set of haplogroups reflects the mix of several cultural and religious groups that must have immigrated, settled, and eventually died out on the south-west coast of India. The AMS radiocarbon dates of three specimens (PT3, PT4, and PT5) range from 540 to 45 BCE., which strongly agrees with earlier archaeological observations with artifacts found at the Pattanam site. The excavations at this site between 2007 and 2022 indicate the presence of a multicultural port complex in the early historical phase (300 BCE–500 CE)
Deciphering the West Eurasian Genetic Footprints in Ancient South India
by Bhavna Ahlawat 1,2,†ORCID,Lomous Kumar 2,3,†,Parayil John Cherian 4,5,Jagmahender Singh Sehrawat 1ORCID,Niraj Rai 2,* and Kumarasamy Thangaraj 3,6,*
Abstract
Since 2006, Pattanam coastal village of the Ernakulam District in Kerala, India, has witnessed multi-disciplinary archaeological investigations in collaboration with leading research institutions across the world. The results confirm that the Pattanam site could be an integral part of the lost ancient port of Muziris, which, as per the material evidence from Pattanam and its contemporary sites, played an important role in the transoceanic exchanges between 100 BCE (Before Common Era) and 300 CE (Common Era). So far, the material evidence with direct provenance to the maritime exchanges related to ancient cultures of the Mediterranean, West Asian, Red Sea, African, and Asian regions have been identified at Pattanam. However, the genetic evidence supporting the impact of multiple cultures or their admixing is still missing for this important archaeological site of South India. Hence, in the current study, we tried to infer the genetic composition of the skeletal remains excavated from the site in a broader context of South Asian and worldwide maternal affinity. We applied the MassArray-based genotyping approach of mitochondrial makers and observed that ancient samples of Pattanam represent a mixed maternal ancestry pattern of both the West Eurasian ancestry and the South Asian ancestry. We observed a high frequency of West Eurasian haplogroups (T, JT, and HV) and South Asian-specific mitochondrial haplogroups (M2a, M3a, R5, and M6). The findings are consistent with the previously published and ongoing archaeological excavations, in which material remains from over three dozen of sites across the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Mediterranean littoral regions have been unearthed. This study confirms that people belonging to multiple cultural and linguistic backgrounds have migrated, probably settled, and eventually died on the South-western coast of India.
shows the samples from 2000-2200 BP have West Eurasian-specific mtDNA haplogroups
We have successfully generated good-quality genotype data from a total of 12 Pattanam ancient bone remains using the MassArray-based genotyping approach. After a careful comparison of mutations observed in the Pattanam samples and Phylotree, we determined the mitochondrial haplogroups of all 12 samples. We found that the mitochondrial haplogroup distribution of the Pattanam samples was highly heterogenous with the presence of both South Asian and West Eurasian-specific mtDNA haplogroups among all Pattanam samples. The haplogroups of the samples PT3, PT6, and PT8 were found to be M2a1a3, M6, and M3a1, respectively, which are South Asian mitochondrial haplogroups. In addition to this, haplogroups of samples PT10 and PT13 are South Asian-specific U1 and R5, respectively (Table 1). It is interesting to note that the mtDNA haplogroup U1 is present with low frequency in both Europe and India (mainly Kerala).
Many samples belonged to West Eurasian mitochondrial haplogroups whose prevalence in modern day South Asian populations is very low. Among these West Eurasian haplogroups, HV and subgroup HV4b were observed in samples PT1 and PT4, respectively. Haplogroup T and its subclade T1a9 were found in samples PT9 and PT2, respectively, while mtDNA haplogroup JT was present in sample PT3. The haplogroup of sample PT11 was uncharacterized because of the lack of resolution of genotyped mutation in this sample (Table 1).
Among the observed West Eurasian mtDNA haplogroups, haplogroup HV4b is mainly present in west Asia and Europe and absent in India [14]. Haplogroup T1a9 is present in Anatolia and Italy and is related with migration from near east to Europe [15]. Further, we made a comparison of the haplogroup prevalence of ancient Pattanam samples with the available frequency in worldwide populations. We are showing the frequency distribution of some of the major West Eurasian haplogroups viz, HV, T1a and JT on the map. Frequency of haplogroup HV is with its highest prevalence in the Caucasus and Middle East and Southern Europe (Figure 2) [13]. Its frequency is highest in Iraq (0.12) in the Middle East, followed by Armenia (0.07) and Azerbaijan (0.06) in the Caucasus [13]. Haplogroup T1a has the highest frequency in Balkan countries, Caucasus, and the Middle East and with lesser frequency in most of Europe (Figure 3 [17]. Its highest frequency is in Romania (0.08), Tunisia (0.07), and Iran (0.06). Haplogroup JT has the highest occurrence in Near East (0.45), the Alps (0.33), and Georgia (0.25) and is also prevalent in most of Europe (Figure 4 ) [13].
Among the South Asian haplogroups found in the Pattanam samples, M2a1 is present in most of the Indo-European and Dravidian tribes with coalescent ages of 7–9 KYA [18]. Haplogroup M3a1 is also mainly Indian-specific. It was mainly found among Indo–European and Dravidian tribes of North, Central, and South India [19]. It was also observed in the Kashmir region of North India [20]. Haplogroups M6 and R5 have widespread occurrences in India [19]. Mitochondrial haplogroup M6 is highly prevalent in Indus valley and Eastern coastal region of India towards the Bay of Bengal. Haplogroup R5 is the most ancient and second frequent sub-haplogroup of R. This haplogroup is most frequent among Indian caste groups compared to tribes and absent among Austroasiatic speakers.
The presence of haplogroups HV, T1a9, JT, HV4b, T, and U1 strongly supports the presence of West Eurasian and European ancestry, whereas M2a1a3, M6, M3a1, and R5 haplogroups support the South Asian ancestry. Some of these West Eurasian mtDNA haplogroups such as T1a9 and HV4b have been found exclusively in European and West Asian populations and are absent in Indian populations. The presence of such a diverse set of haplogroups reflects the mix of several cultural and religious groups that must have immigrated, settled, and eventually died out on the south-west coast of India. The AMS radiocarbon dates of three specimens (PT3, PT4, and PT5) range from 540 to 45 BCE., which strongly agrees with earlier archaeological observations with artifacts found at the Pattanam site. The excavations at this site between 2007 and 2022 indicate the presence of a multicultural port complex in the early historical phase (300 BCE–500 CE)
Salkhit 625 SNP, Otzi 803 SNP, Mik15 798 SNP, RISE493 1335 SNP, I11456 1024 SNP, I7718 980 SNP, I9041 512S
Target: tipirneni:dante
Chebyshev distance: 0.64%
79.0 IRN_SIS_BA2
12.4 ITA_Daunian
8.6 Poland_Viking.SG
Target: tipirneni:dante
Chebyshev distance: 0.64%
79.0 IRN_SIS_BA2
12.4 ITA_Daunian
8.6 Poland_Viking.SG