Population genetics professors David Reich (Harvard) and Shai Carmi (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) published Wednesday, November 30 in Cell journal the analysis of skeletons found in a medieval Jewish cemetery in Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany became. . It brings new results to the origin of the Ashkenazi Jewish community and testifies to the contribution of ancient DNA to tracing the history of the population.
Her study looks at the past of the Ashkenazi community. The word is familiar, but who are we talking about?
Shai Carmi, December 2015. THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
Shai Carmi We are talking about a group that today numbers about 10 million people living mainly in Israel and the United States, but also in Europe and South America. 150 years ago this population was exclusively European. But the immigration and extermination of 6 million Jews by the Nazis greatly diminished its importance. According to the work of historians, this is a relatively young population, as it should have appeared in the Rhineland in the 10th century.
Since when has genetics been interested in this and what has it brought?
David Reich, February 2021. SAM OGDEN/HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
David Rich It began in the 1980s. It has long been known that Ashkenazi Jews suffered from certain rare hereditary diseases more than others. Researchers have identified the genes behind most of these diseases. The post was initially medical. It has allowed the embryonic detection of these pathologies and eventually their virtual eradication. Historically, this over-representation proved that this population came from or had passed through a bottleneck, in other words, from a reduced group of individuals, otherwise these deleterious mutations would have disappeared over time. It was also noted that certain mutations were shared with other Jewish populations, thus being able to determine that exchanges between communities were not just cultural.
Do these achievements come from studies of ancient DNA?
CS No, almost exclusively current DNA analyses. First, because the old DNA technology is relatively new. The main developments for our research date back about ten years. She then initially focused on more universal issues, the origin of the Sapiens, interbreeding with Neanderthals, etc. Finally, access to Jewish human remains is particularly difficult due to religious laws that require the dead not to be disturbed.
DR This is true of many cults and especially minorities. We find the same limitations in the United States among Native Americans. For the Jews we still have a chance, it’s that different rabbis can have different points of view.
You still have 73.76% of this article to read. The following is for subscribers only.